The Task Force on Infrastructure Finance at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), in collaboration with the NEXGEN Foundation, successfully hosted the workshop “Financing BESS: Innovative Strategies – Unlocking India’s Energy Storage Potential: Policies, Projects, and Financing Pathways” at PHD House, New Delhi. The workshop convened senior industry leaders, financial institutions, and global experts to explore innovative financing models aimed at accelerating the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) within India’s clean energy ecosystem.
The proceedings opened with a welcome and theme address by Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, Co-Chair, Infrastructure Finance Task Force, PHDCCI, and Managing Director, NEXGEN Financial Solutions Pvt. Ltd., who emphasized the pivotal role of financing in mainstreaming energy storage technologies.
The inaugural session featured distinguished contributions from:
- Dr. Ajay Mathur, Professor (Public Policy), IIT Delhi & Former Director General, International Solar Alliance, who discussed policy frameworks essential for storage adoption;
- Ms. Riya Saxena, Senior Associate and Climate Finance Expert, RMI India, who highlighted international best practices in storage financing;
- Mr. P.K. Jena, Chief General Manager (Power Trading), NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam Ltd., who elaborated on trading mechanisms and the commercial outlook for BESS; and
- Mr. Satyan Kumar, CEO, ONGC Green Ltd., who spoke on the role of storage in corporate energy transition strategies.
Industry perspectives were further enriched by:
- Mr. Parveen Jangra, Founder, COO & CTO, Oriana Power Ltd., who shared entrepreneurial and technology-driven solutions;
- Mr. Umang Maheshwari, Managing Director, BESS, The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), who provided insights from global financing experiences; and
- Mr. J.K. Mittal, Advocate, Supreme Court of India & Legal Consultant (GST), who discussed the legal and taxation landscape relevant to BESS projects.
Following the inaugural session, the workshop featured two high-powered panel discussions:
Debt Finance: Lenders, Private Credit Funds & Innovative Credit Solutions
Chaired by Mr. Sanjeev Gupta and moderated by Mr. Gulshan Malik, Former Deputy Managing Director, State Bank of India, the panel included Mr. Raman Aggarwal, CEO, Finance Industry Development Council (FIDC); Mr. Kamlesh Menon, Chief General Manager (Projects), Power Finance Corporation Ltd.; Mr. Naveen Rawat, General Manager, PFSBU, State Bank of India; and Mr. Garvit Shah, Principal Professional, New Development Bank. The discussion focused on structured lending, credit enhancements, and innovative debt instruments critical for large-scale BESS deployment.
Equity & Innovative Solutions: Venture Capital, PE, Family Offices, Structured Products
Moderated by Mr. Vipin Agarwal, Founder & Director, Longview Research and Advisory Services Pvt. Ltd., and chaired by Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, this session featured Mr. Abhishek Ranjan, CEO, BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL); Mr. Anand Kumar, Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Planning, PTC India Ltd.; Mr. Rajesh Sharma, Chief Growth Officer, Waaree Energies & Waaree Ventures; Mr. Gaurav Kapoor, Founder & Managing Partner, Ekamya Capital Advisory LLP; Mr. Ankur Gupta, Chief Investment Officer, Sindhu Trade Links Ltd.; Mr. Ashish Agarwal, CEO, Pushpak Rental Solution Pvt. Ltd.; and Dr. Munish Sabharwal, Managing Director, Nexdigm. Discussions centred on the evolving role of venture capital, private equity, and innovative financial instruments in creating scalable, bankable storage business models.