India on Track to Lead the World in Rail Electrification and Storage Solutions

The Indian government's target to have metro rail in 31 cities by 2029 presents significant opportunities in the rail batteries space. The demand for electrification and battery solutions across India is something TKIL Industries is well-positioned to capture with its existing portfolio of solutions. Sachin Jain expresses his views in talks with EPR.

- Sachin Jain

What key breakthroughs in energy storage are vital and how are you leveraging them?

In the medium to long term, the most critical breakthroughs in rail electrification and clean mobility will come from solutions that combine efficient energy storage with rapid response. We anticipate the deployment of Battery storage (at high-traffic substations and Depots) and supercapacitors (especially in metros) to reduce energy wastage due to braking, enable faster charging, and reduce maintenance-related carbon emissions. Further, exploration of new cell chemistry (like lithium, sodium) coupled with high-performance Battery Management Systems (BMS) would result in improved battery life and performance. TKIL is actively monitoring these developments and evaluating investments in solutions that align with India's electrification needs. With recent focus on hydrogen rolling stock demonstration along select routes, we are also keen to contribute to the green hydrogen infrastructure for this segment.

How important are collaborations in driving growth and ensuring large-scale deployment?