Telangana aims to create an ecosystem for electric vehicles, energy storage: KTR

HYDERABAD: The Telangana Government is striving to secure supply of lithium salts to focus on setting up an Electronic Vehicle (EV) and ESS ecosystem, said IT and Indstries Minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) on Friday.

"I don't think any other State has thought of or envisioned such a huge move forward as we have," he said while addressing a gathering at 'The Evolve - A Unique Conclave on Advanced Battery Technologies'.

Adding details to the iniative, KTR said that Telangana had taken up a first-of-its-kind initiative by appointing the Telangana State Mineral Development Corporation (TSMDC) to work directly with joint venture partners in Latin American countries to secure access to lithium and other minerals.

He added that the initiative was established to provide a sustainable supply of batteries and raw materials for the advanced cell chemistry manufacturing environment.

While evaluating the demand for ACC batteries in India, KTR said, "The market for ACC batteries in India has the potential to reach 260 gigawatt hours by 2030. Sixty per cent of this domestic demand is projected to be manufactured in India by 2030, with Telangana aiming to host around 30 giga watt hour lithium-ion facilities by then.

"Developing a successful domestic battery manufacturing ecosystem requires government assistance and planning, with State Governments playing a crucial role in this. With this aim, the Telangana Government launched the Telangana Mobility Valley, a first-of-its-kind initiative in India," he added.

"The Telangana Mobility Valley, with Amara Raja betting big on the Mobility Valley, will comprise four manufacturing clusters to facilitate companies across different segments, including electric vehicles, advanced cell chemistry, batteries, hydrogen fuel cells, and engineering and research facilities, all coming together to make India a hub for electrification," the Minister said.

"Hyderabad has emerged as the preferred location for establishing research & development, design, and engineering facilities," KTR added and said that Amara Raja's Evolve and Innovation Centre would contribute to the State's dynamic innovation system.

"Telangana leads India's innovative growth story with its network of institutions, including T-Works, T-Hub, We-Hub, TASK, and TSIC, focusing on sustainable and shared mobility," the Minister said.

"The first energy park in India, with Amara Raja as its anchor, has been established in Divitipally, while construction is proceeding at a rapid pace. Zaheerabad and Sitarampur have been identified as electric vehicle and component manufacturing clusters, while Enkathala has been designated as a research and innovation cluster. Telangana has a thriving ecosystem of companies active in the EV and energy storage sectors," said KTR.

The Minister also said that the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation project obtained environmental clearance which would enable domestic and industrial water supply in addition to irrigation requirements.

Foundation laid for Amara Raja E-Positive Energy Labs ceremony KTR also laid the foundation stone and unveiled a plaque for Amara Raja Group's advanced energy research and innovation centre, ‘E Positive Energy Labs, at the GMR Aerocity near Hyderabad airport on Friday.

The first-of-its-kind centre in Hyderabad, equipped with advanced laboratories and testing infrastructure for material research, prototyping, product life cycle analysis, and proof-of-concept demonstration, would be a catalyst for multi-stakeholder collaboration in the Energy and Mobility space.

The Minister paid a visit to the 'Black Box - Digital Immersive Experience Zone' on the occasion.

Amara Raja Batteries Limited intended to construct E-Positive Energy Labs as part of the Giga Corridor initiative, aligning with Telangana's commitment to technological and energy innovation.