ACME Solar Holdings has commissioned new solar and battery storage capacity in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The project adds 66.68 MW of solar power and 300 MWh of battery energy storage to the company’s operating portfolio.
The commissioning takes ACME Solar’s total operational renewable energy capacity to about 3,057 MW. Its operational battery energy storage capacity has also crossed 4 GWh and now stands at 4.16 GWh.
What has ACME Solar commissioned?
The new capacity comes from two projects at the same site in Bikaner. The first is a solar and wind hybrid project being developed through ACME Renewtech Pvt Ltd. The second is a firm and dispatchable renewable energy project, also known as an FDRE project, being developed through ACME Greentech Seventh Pvt Ltd.
Under the hybrid project, ACME Solar has commissioned the first phase of a 300 MW solar project at Kelan village. This phase adds 66.68 MW of solar capacity. The wider project will combine 300 MW of solar power with 100 MW of wind power.
ACME Solar expects to commission the remaining solar capacity by the end of the third quarter of the 2026-27 financial year, or Q3 FY27.
How the battery storage project will work
ACME Solar has also commissioned 53.63 MW and 300 MWh of the battery storage part of its FDRE project. The full project has a planned battery energy storage system capacity of 300 MW and 1,581 MWh.
These figures show two different parts of a battery system. MW refers to the power the battery can supply at one time. MWh refers to the amount of energy the battery can store. In simple terms, MW tells us how fast the battery can deliver power, while MWh tells us how long it can keep doing so. Think of MW as the size of the tap and MWh as the amount of water in the tank.
ACME Solar expects to commission the entire battery storage capacity of the FDRE project by Q3 of the current financial year.
Why battery storage matters for renewable power
Solar power depends on sunlight, which means generation falls in the evening and stops at night. Battery storage can hold power produced during the day and release it when demand rises.
This helps renewable energy projects provide a more steady supply. It can also support the power grid during peak demand, when homes, offices and factories use more electricity.
An FDRE project is designed to supply power when it is needed, rather than only when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing. Solar, wind and battery storage can work together to meet this need. This makes storage an important part of India’s shift towards a power system with more renewable energy.
Power agreements and project funding
The hybrid project has a power purchase agreement, or PPA, with NTPC. Under a PPA, a buyer agrees to purchase electricity from a project for a set period under agreed terms. This gives the project a planned buyer for its power.
Power Finance Corporation, or PFC, is providing long-term project finance for the hybrid project. Long-term funding can help developers build large energy projects while spreading repayment over several years.
The FDRE project has a PPA with SJVN. REC is providing long-term finance for this project. These agreements link the new generation and storage assets with public sector power companies and lenders.
ACME Solar’s growing storage portfolio
The latest commissioning marks a major step in ACME Solar’s battery storage plans. With 4.16 GWh of operational battery capacity, the company now has more than 4 GWh of storage in service.
India needs more storage as it adds solar and wind power to the grid. Storage can help manage changes in renewable generation and reduce pressure on conventional power plants during periods of high demand.
For ACME Solar, the Bikaner projects bring together three key parts of the clean energy market: solar generation, wind power and battery storage. The next major milestones will be the commissioning of the remaining solar capacity and the full battery system planned for the FDRE project.
