India, August 17, 2026: Meine Electric, an Indian deep-tech energy storage company, has announced that its indigenous Iron-Air battery technology is set to enter utility-scale pilot evaluation for Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES) applications at NTPC Simhadri Thermal Power Station.
The pilot project is being undertaken by Atal Incubation Center–Anna University (AIC-AU) at NTPC Simhadri, with Meine Electric serving as the technology partner. The initiative will assess the performance and operational characteristics of the Iron-Air battery system under real-world utility conditions and generate technical insights to support its further development and potential commercial deployment.
The evaluation will focus on technical performance, operational reliability and system behavior during utility operations. The data generated through the pilot is expected to provide insights into the suitability of Iron-Air technology for applications requiring extended-duration energy storage, including renewable energy integration, grid flexibility and round-the-clock clean power.
Advancing Indigenous Long-Duration Energy Storage
As India continues to expand its renewable energy capacity, long-duration storage technologies are becoming increasingly important for balancing variable renewable generation and improving the reliability and flexibility of the power grid.
Unlike short-duration storage systems designed primarily for brief periods of energy shifting, LDES technologies are intended to store electricity for significantly longer periods. This capability can support renewable energy firming, improve utilization of existing power infrastructure, and provide greater flexibility as the share of intermittent renewable generation increases.
Meine Electric said it is among the early companies in the Asia-Pacific region developing Iron-Air technology for LDES applications. The company’s proprietary Fast Charge Long Discharge (FCLD) technology is designed around a six-hour charging cycle followed by an 18-hour discharge cycle.
The technology has also undergone independent testing by Customized Energy Solutions (CES). According to Meine Electric, testing at the CES Battery Laboratory evaluated electrochemical performance, capacity retention, and operational stability under a six-hour charging and 18-hour discharging cycle.
The third-party assessment is expected to support the company’s ongoing efforts to move from technology development and validation toward larger-scale demonstrations and eventual commercial deployment.
From Technology Development to Real-World Validation
Under the AIC–Anna University initiative, Meine Electric will support the development, system integration and performance monitoring of the Iron-Air battery system deployed for the pilot.
The project is intended to provide operational data that can inform subsequent engineering improvements, system optimisation and future commercial-scale deployments. Testing the technology in a utility environment will also allow the company and its partners to assess performance under conditions that are representative of real-world power system requirements.
Priyansh Mohan, Co-Founder and CEO, Meine Electric, said, “We are honoured that our indigenous Iron-Air battery technology has been selected for this pilot at NTPC Simhadri Thermal Power Station. Demonstrating the technology under utility operating conditions will allow us to generate important performance data and accelerate the development of cost-effective long-duration energy storage solutions suited to India’s evolving power system.”
Shri Kishore Kumar S., CEO, AIC–Anna Incubator, said, “Our mission is to catalyse high-impact innovations that address critical national challenges. Supporting Meine Electric in deploying indigenous Iron-Air battery technology at NTPC Simhadri represents an important step toward advancing scalable long-duration energy storage. The collaboration demonstrates how academia, startups and public-sector stakeholders can work together to strengthen India’s clean energy ecosystem and support the transition toward a more resilient and sustainable power system.”
Supporting India’s Clean Energy Transition
The pilot comes as India seeks to expand renewable energy while maintaining grid stability and ensuring reliable electricity supply. Long-duration storage can play a role in managing differences between renewable generation and electricity demand, particularly when solar and wind output does not align with consumption patterns.
Meine Electric’s Iron-Air technology is based on a reversible iron oxidation and reduction process. The company’s FCLD architecture is designed to combine relatively extended discharge durations with a charging cycle suited to daily grid operations.
The company believes the technology could eventually support applications including renewable energy firming, grid-scale energy storage and the flexible operation of existing thermal assets. The pilot at NTPC Simhadri will provide an opportunity to evaluate these capabilities in an operational environment before larger deployments are considered.
The initiative also reflects the increasing role of collaboration among startups, academic institutions and established energy-sector organisations in developing indigenous technologies for India’s energy transition.
Building a Platform for Commercial Deployment
Meine Electric plans to use the results and operational learnings from the pilot to further refine its technology and support future utility-scale deployments. The company is targeting utilities and energy-intensive industries as potential customers as it works to establish Iron-Air batteries as a long-duration storage option.
The company has received industry recognition including the National Startup Award 2026 and the NASSCOM Emerge 50 Award, among other accolades, and is pursuing partnerships across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East and Africa markets.
Meine Electric’s long-term strategy is centred on developing grid-scale Iron-Air storage systems capable of supporting the increasing integration of renewable energy. The company has set a long-term goal of achieving $1 billion in revenue by 2032 through Iron-Air battery deployments.
About Meine Electric
Meine Electric is an Indian deep-tech energy storage company developing Iron-Air battery technology for Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES). Its proprietary Fast Charge Long Discharge (FCLD) technology is designed to deliver a six-hour charging cycle and an 18-hour discharge duration using an iron-based electrochemical system.
The company focuses on applications including grid-scale energy storage, renewable energy firming and thermal asset flexibilisation. Meine Electric is working with utilities, industrial customers and ecosystem partners to advance the deployment of long-duration storage technologies. Its vision is to enable greater access to reliable renewable energy through practical, scalable and cost-effective energy storage solutions.
About AIC–Anna Incubator
AIC–Anna Incubator (AIC-AU Incubation Foundation) is a Section 8 not-for-profit organisation established under the Atal Innovation Mission of NITI Aayog and hosted by Anna University, Chennai.
The incubator supports deep-tech and high-impact startups across areas including clean and sustainability technology, electric mobility, health sciences, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. According to the organisation, it has supported more than 91 startups, helped generate over 1,100 jobs, facilitated more than 125 patent filings and built a portfolio with a valuation exceeding ₹1,500 crore.
Through its network of corporate, government and investment partners, AIC–Anna Incubator works to translate research and innovation into market-ready technologies aligned with India’s strategic development priorities.