India Bolsters ACC Testing Capabilities As PLI Scheme Beneficiaries Near Manufacturing Phase

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, May 29 (KNN) As the beneficiaries of India's ambitious Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Advanced Chemical Cells (ACC) near the manufacturing phase, the central government is taking steps to enhance domestic testing capabilities for these cutting-edge battery cells.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has directed its automotive testing agencies, the International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT) and the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), to obtain accreditation fr0m the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) for evaluating cells produced under the ACC PLI scheme, reported BS.

This move comes as the three beneficiaries – Ola Electric Mobility, Rajesh Exports, and Reliance New Energy Ltd – approach their two-year deadline to commission their respective manufacturing facilities.

Currently, only one agency, Bharat Test House, possesses the capability to test such advanced cells.

Advanced Chemical Cells undergo rigorous testing to ensure safety, reliability, and performance, including assessments of electrical performance, cycle life, thermal stability, environmental resilience, and mechanical integrity.

These comprehensive tests ensure that ACC batteries meet quality standards before deployment in applications like electric vehicles and grid energy storage systems.

Once iCAT and ARAI obtain accreditation, the MHI plans to involve additional testing agencies like the National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX) and the Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC) to further bolster testing capacity.

In April, a workshop was held to address challenges related to ACC testing, attended by representatives fr0m various ministries, regulatory bodies, industry associations, and the three approved beneficiary firms under the PLI ACC scheme.

The government approved the ACC PLI scheme in 2021 with a budgetary outlay of Rs 18,100 crore, aiming to achieve a manufacturing capacity of 50 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of ACC and an additional cumulative capacity of 5 GWh for niche ACC technologies.

The scheme aims to incentivise domestic and international investors to establish large-scale ACC manufacturing facilities, promoting value addition, quality output, and clean energy objectives.

Apart fr0m the three players selected in 2022, the MHI recently announced receiving bids fr0m seven players for the re-bidding tender of the 10 GWh tranche, including ACME Cleantech Solutions, Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies, Anvi Power Industries, JSW Neo Energy, Reliance Industries, Lucas TVS, and Waaree Energies.

The successful establishment of ACC manufacturing in India is expected to not only provide indigenous cells for the nation's electric vehicle industry but also lay the foundation for energy storage solutions for the power sector.

(KNN Bureau)

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