Vanadium Flow Batteries Could Power India’s Domestic Long-Duration Energy Storage Industry
Date: 07 Aug 2026 |
IIT Madras expects vanadium redox flow batteries to move toward mass deployment within two to four years
India has an opportunity to establish a domestic industry for long-duration energy storage built around vanadium flow batteries (VFBs), according to Nikhil Tambe, Chief Executive Officer of The Energy Consortium at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras).
In an interview published by Mercom India following the Mercom India Renewables Summit 2026, Tambe outlined how VFBs could complement lithium-ion batteries as India adds more solar and wind generation and seeks reliable storage capable of delivering electricity for six to eight hours or longer.
IIT Madras developed the technology with High Energy Batteries, an industry partner based in Tiruchirappalli. Their collaboration has advanced from university research to a large pilot system that is now operating in a real-world application. The project received Mercom's Research-to-Innovation Award.
“For mass deployment, we are looking at a timeframe of two to four years.”
- Nikhil Tambe, CEO, The Energy Consortium, IIT Madras
A strong fit for grid-scale, long-duration storage
VFBs are designed for applications in which large amounts of electricity must be stored and discharged over extended periods. Tambe said the technology becomes particularly attractive for six-to-eight-hour storage at the scale of several hundred megawatt-hours, where lithium-based systems may become increasingly costly.
The technology also offers a strategic supply-chain opportunity. The interview noted that many of the materials required for VFBs, including vanadium, are available in India. Developing local manufacturing could reduce exposure to imported battery materials while supporting a domestic ecosystem for equipment, engineering, deployment and maintenance.
From research to commercial deployment
The IIT Madras Energy Consortium uses a collaborative model linking academia, industry and government. Industry participation provides manufacturing expertise, capital, supply-chain capability and practical deployment experience - all essential to move promising energy technologies beyond laboratory validation.
Commercial momentum is beginning to emerge. Recent Indian energy-storage tenders have included vanadium flow technology alongside lithium-based systems, and vanadium systems have participated successfully in bids and secured projects. IIT Madras identifies manufacturing scale-up as the principal constraint on wider deployment.
A portfolio approach to India's storage needs
The interview emphasized that no single battery or storage technology can serve every duration and application. Alongside VFBs, IIT Madras is working on zinc-air batteries for potentially much longer storage periods and on pumped-water storage. Together, these approaches could support a more flexible and resilient power system as India's renewable generation grows.
Workforce development will be equally important. IIT Madras offers master's-level study in energy systems and sustainable energy systems, as well as professional certification courses and industry-oriented training intended to prepare students and working professionals for emerging clean-energy sectors.
Key points
- Operational pilot: A large VFB pilot developed by IIT Madras and High Energy Batteries is operating in Tiruchirappalli.
- Deployment horizon: IIT Madras expects mass deployment to become possible within two to four years.
- Target application: Grid-scale storage for six to eight hours or longer, complementing lithium-ion technology.
- Domestic opportunity: Indian availability of key materials could support localized manufacturing and reduce international supply-chain exposure.
Source
Based on: “India Can Build a Domestic Long-Duration Energy Storage Industry: Interview,” Mercom India, 6 August 2026. Interview by Rakesh Ranjan with Nikhil Tambe of The Energy Consortium, IIT Madras.