India adds 4.6 GWh of energy storage capacity in first quarter of 2026: Report

New Delhi: India added 4.6 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery energy storage capacity in the first three months of this year, registering a 941 per cent increase from 442.7 megawatt-hours (MWh) added in the preceding October-December 2025 period, a report said.

According to the latest India's Energy Storage Landscape Report by Mercom India Research, the country's cumulative installed battery energy storage capacity reached 5.9 GWh as of March 2026.

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Standalone energy storage accounted for 73 percent of the cumulative capacity, followed by 15 percent from solar-plus-wind with storage (round-the-clock capabilities) projects and 11 percent from solar-plus-battery energy storage projects, according to the report. The remaining share was split among emerging configurations, including solar-plus-wind with storage and floating solar with storage, each contributing less than 1 per cent.

The pumped storage project (PSP) pipeline remained strong, with 57.2 GW of projects in various stages of development. Out of 7.2 GW installed, 5.7 GW of PSPs were operational as of March 2026, it stated.

"The strong growth in Q1 2026, coupled with a rapidly expanding project pipeline, reflects how quickly energy storage is becoming a core part of India's power infrastructure," said Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group.

State-wise, Rajasthan topped in terms of cumulative installed energy storage capacity at 42 percent, followed by Gujarat at 25 percent and Maharashtra at 9 percent.

In Q1 2026, India's energy storage development pipeline reached 69 GWh, comprising 41 GWh of standalone storage, 11 GWh of solar-plus-wind with storage, 9 GWh of solar-plus-energy storage, and 1 GWh of solar-plus-wind with storage projects (round-the-clock capabilities).

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Additionally, there were 6 GWh of renewable energy-plus-storage projects.

Gujarat had the largest pipeline of standalone battery storage capacity at 10 GWh.

Multiple agencies issued tenders totalling 18 GW during Q1 2026 and auctioned more than 4 GW of standalone storage projects.

Tender activity rose 47 percent from 12 GW in Q4 2025, while auction volumes declined 61 percent from 11.1 GW in Q4 2025.

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