Jaipur: Jaipur Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (JVVNL) and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (Global Energy Alliance) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop India's first sodium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) pilot at the distribution-transformer level, SolarQuarter reported on Friday. Following the agreement, the two organisations issued a joint Request for Proposal at the Distribution Utility Meet (DUM) 2026 for a 250 kW / 250 kWh project at K.L. Saini Stadium in Jaipur.

Source: SolarQuarter

Energetica India, reporting the same MoU and request for proposals, said the pilot will assess the performance and potential applications of sodium-ion storage in managing local peak demand and improving the utilisation of rooftop solar generation, and will test the technology under actual distribution-network conditions, including Rajasthan's high summer temperatures. EnergyWatch reported the Jaipur Discom and the alliance sought proposals for the pilot at the stadium in the city's Mansarovar area, with the request issued during a national conference of electricity distribution companies in Jaipur.

Source: Energetica India

Testing sodium-ion against lithium-ion

The project will examine sodium-ion technology as an alternative to established battery chemistries, particularly lithium-ion, focusing on technical performance, safety, reliability and commercial viability. The assessment will cover battery efficiency, degradation, thermal behaviour and safety risks, including the potential for thermal runaway, under real network conditions in Rajasthan's climate.

Under the MoU, JVVNL will provide the project site, a dedicated team and operational data, while the Global Energy Alliance will offer technical support for system design and performance monitoring and will train JVVNL engineers. Rajasthan Energy Secretary and DISCOMS Chairperson Arti Dogra has said the strain of growing renewable generation shows first at the local transformer, which is why the pilot targets the distribution level, according to the reports.

What happens next

The pilot builds on the existing partnership between JVVNL and the Global Energy Alliance, which includes work on digital twins to strengthen understanding of JVVNL's distribution network. JVVNL is also a Champion Utility under the alliance's India Grids of the Future Accelerator, which supports utilities on network efficiency, renewable integration and supply reliability. Bids under the request for proposals will decide who builds the 250 kW / 250 kWh system at the stadium site.