Bengaluru Panel Calls for Solar, Storage and EV Adoption in Apartments Amid Rising Energy Demand

As India prepares for a massive expansion in its power sector, experts in Bengaluru emphasised that apartment communities must adopt solar energy, storage solutions and electric mobility to remain sustainable and cost-efficient.

The fourth episode of the "Science for Sustainable Urban Living" series was held at the Visvesvaraya Industrial & Technological Museum on April 25. The event was organised by the Bangalore Apartments' Federation in collaboration with the Bengaluru Science and Technology Cluster.

Delivering the keynote address, Asit Singh, Member Secretary of the Southern Regional Power Committee under the Ministry of Power, said India is entering an unprecedented growth phase in electricity generation. "Our installed capacity, which is around 523 gigawatts now, will become more than 1,100 gigawatts in the next nine years. That is nearly 84 per cent growth in a very short time," he said.

He underlined that the nature of power generation itself has changed. "Earlier, our generation was quite stable. Now, with renewable integration, the generation itself has become intermittent and variable," Singh said. "We cannot just plan for the maximum peak anymore. We have to simulate all 8,760 hours in a year."

Explaining the operational challenge, he added, "Whatever is generated at an instant of time, it has to exactly match the load. If it does not, it will affect frequency and the quality of supply. This real time balancing is the biggest challenge today."

He also pointed to the growing need for storage. "We will require large scale storage to handle evening peak when there is zero solar. That is the direction in which planning is happening," he said.

During the panel discussion, Srinivasappa, Director at the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission, Government of Karnataka, said solar adoption in apartments is both practical and economical. "They can recover their investment within five to six years. It is a very good option to reduce electricity bills," he said.

He added that the regulator has been actively supporting rooftop solar. "We have issued regulations and are fixing tariffs under net metering to promote solar installations," he said.

Uma H.N., General Manager for Demand Side Management and Electric Vehicles at BESCOM, stressed the importance of enabling EV infrastructure in residential complexes. "Please allow residents to use EV chargers. Slow chargers are safe and easy to accommodate," she said.

She also highlighted that future energy planning must consider changing consumption patterns. "Electricity demand will evolve, especially with electric vehicles, and apartments need to prepare for that," she said.

Prof. Monto Mani, Professor at the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, Indian Institute of Science, raised concerns about rising urban energy demand. "Efficiency alone is not enough. If consumption continues to increase, energy demand could multiply many times," he said.

He also said that climate change and urban lifestyles are driving higher consumption. "If we do not reduce operational energy significantly, we will not meet our climate targets," he said.

Srinivas Kumar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SunAP Ecopower Private Limited, called for an integrated approach to reduce costs. "Look at a combination of solar, virtual net metering and energy storage. That is how you can bring your apartment energy bills close to zero," he said. He further criticised reliance on diesel generators. "Diesel generators are a white elephant. They are costly, polluting and uncertain," he said.

Santosh Kumar M., from the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Energy and Development, pointed to low adoption levels. "Less than five per cent of apartments have solar installations. The biggest issue is lack of awareness," he said.

He added that apartments can significantly contribute to renewable energy goals. "If they both consume and generate power, it will reduce the burden on distribution companies and benefit residents," he said.

Parth Kundu, Governing Council Member of the Bangalore Apartments' Federation, highlighted practical steps for residents. "The first step is to understand your electricity consumption. Then assess the available rooftop area and feasibility," he said.

He added that solar can effectively power common services. "Lifts, pumps and lighting can be powered through solar, which will reduce maintenance costs," he said.

The discussion also touched on emerging concepts such as peer to peer electricity trading and dynamic pricing. Experts noted that electricity tariffs are becoming market driven, with rates varying throughout the day.

Summing up the broader outlook, Singh said, "We are working towards energy security and independence, but it will require new technologies, better planning and active participation from consumers."

The event concluded with a clear message that apartment communities will play a central role in India's clean energy transition, and early adoption of solar, storage and electric mobility will be key to sustainable urban living.