Energetica India Magazine May - June 2026

WOMAN INFLUENCER 34 energetica INDIA- May-June_2026 Director, Market and Project Development, South Asia Wärtsilä Energy Q What does ‘flexibility’ truly mean for India’s power eco - system today? Archana Bhatnagar: Flexibility means the power system can re- spond fastwhenvariable renewable energyoutput changes, demand rises or drops sharply, or grid conditions shift. As renewable capacity grows, the challenge has moved beyond just adding megawatts. It is making sure the system can absorb and use that green power reli- ably and affordably. Today in India, curtailment and grid stress are already visible. In Rajasthan, roughly 3-4 GW of solar and wind have been curtailed since March 2025, with estimated losses of INR 250 crore. In Tamil Nadu, up to 70 million units of renewable power were wasted in a single week in May 2025. These are signs that India’s energy tran- sition has entered a more complex phase. Building solar and wind capacity was the first challenge. Absorbing that green power to the maximumextent and delivering it reliably is the next one, and flexi - bility is whatmakes it possible. To do this, India needs fast-ramping balancing power through energy storage, gas-based internal com- bustion engine plants, and stronger transmission, working together to absorb renewable fluctuations and keep the grid stable. This is what flexibility means for India, and it will determine whether In - dia’s renewable ambition translates into reliable, affordable power for everyone. Q What is the ideal mix of storage, flexible generation, and renewables for a resilient and cost-effective grid? Archana Bhatnagar: India needs a balanced systemwhere renew- ables, storage, and flexible generation each play the role they are genuinely suited for. Renewables will soon emerge as the backbone of the grid because they are the cleanest and lowest-cost source of new power. Batteries are essential for fast response, frequency sup- port, and short-duration energy shifting, and their momentum is real: India’s battery energy storage capacity is expected to surge nearly tenfold to around 5GWh in 2026, up from507MWh in 2025. But batteries cover only part of the balancing need. India’s peak demand arrives during evening hours, once solar generation drops. Those non-solar peaks last 5 to 6 hours in the evening and 2-3 hours in the morning, well beyond what battery storage can practically and economically cover. It calls for flexible generation that can dis - patch on demand and sustain output across those hours. A joint study by Wärtsilä and KPMG found that by 2030, India will need at least 9 GWof flexible gas-based engine power plants alongside 38 GWof battery storage for balancing and ancillary services. These technologies are complementary. Deploying them together creates a more resilient and more affordable system than either can deliver alone. R enewables will soon emerge as the backbone of the grid because they are the cleanest and lowest-cost source of new power, said Archana Bhatnagar, Director, Market and Project Development, South Asia, Wärtsilä Energy, in an interview with En- ergetica India. ARCHANA BHATNAGAR