Govt Holds Pre-Bid Conference For Prospective Bidders Of Rs 18,100 Crore Advance Chemistry Cell PLI Scheme

Around 100 participants from 20 companies participated in the pre-bid conference for prospective bidders of the Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) production linked incentive (PLI) scheme organised by the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries.

The ministry had earlier released Request For Proposal (RFP) on 22 October, inviting bidders for a total manufacturing capacity of Advance Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery storage of 50 Giga Watt Hour (GWh) with an outlay of Rs 18,100 crore.

The pre-bid conference, organised on 12 November, received wide participation and interest from bidders both in person and virtually with around 100 participants from about 20 companies, the ministry said in a statement on Monday (15 November).

Presentations were made on the terms and conditions, technical details of ACC manufacturing and various incentives and opportunities to promote ACC battery manufacturing in the country, the ministry said.

In the pre-bid conference the queries of the bidders were addressed and they were asked to seek any further clarification through e-mail, it added.

According to the ministry, the bidding will be held online through a transparent two-stage process, under the Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) mechanism.

Key features of the selection process include satisfying the eligibility criteria, transparent bidding process, full flexibility in innovation for ACC battery manufacturing, optimised payment structures, promoting self-reliant India through domestic value addition and setting up of ACC manufacturing facilities, it added.

ACCs are the new generation advance storage technologies that can store electric energy either as electrochemical or as chemical energy and convert it back to electric energy as and when required.

The consumer electronics, electric vehicles, advanced electricity grids, solar roof top etc. which are major battery consuming sectors are expected to achieve robust growth in sales volume in the coming years. It is expected that the dominant battery technologies will control some of the world’s largest growth sectors.

While several companies have already started investing in battery packs, though the capacities of these facilities are too small when compared to global averages, but there still is negligible investment in manufacturing, along with value addition, of ACCs in India.

All the demand of the ACCs is currently being met through imports in India.

The National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage will reduce import dependence and support the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the ministry said.