On 18 March 2026, the Government of Maharashtra notified its Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Policy 2025-26 to 2035-36 — and in August 2026 the Energy Department released an official FAQ document clarifying how it will be implemented.
For anyone planning a solar project in Maharashtra, one change stands above the rest: energy storage is now mandatory. If your renewable energy project is over 100 kW, you can no longer build solar alone — you must pair it with a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
This post walks through what the policy’s own FAQ actually says, what it means for your project, and the most cost-effective way to meet the new storage mandate.
The Headline: Storage Is Now Mandatory
Straight from the Government of Maharashtra FAQ (Section B, Mandatory Energy Storage Requirements):
Q. Can new RE projects supplying power to Open Access consumers be exempted from mandatory energy storage installation?
“All new RE projects over 100 kW are required to have minimum level of energy storage that would be 50% of the RE capacity and for 2 hours duration.” (Policy Reference: §7.2)
In plain terms: 1 MWh of BESS for every 1 MW of connectivity. There is no open-access exemption. If you’re building above 100 kW, storage is part of the project — not an optional add-on.
What the Official FAQ Says (In the Government’s Own Words)
These are the questions solar developers and C&I customers in Maharashtra are asking most — quoted from the Energy Department’s FAQ document.
Do I have flexibility in how I size the BESS?
Q. The policy mandates minimum storage of 50% of RE capacity for 2 hours (1 MWh per MW). Does the developer have flexibility in sizing BESS?
“Yes, the developer can have the flexibility for sizing BESS projects while meeting the overall requirement of 1 MWh of BESS / MW of connectivity provided that minimum power rating of the BESS shall not be less than 25% of the RE Project connectivity. Projects above 100 kW connected behind the consumer meter / RTPV / ONSITE can also avail flexibility in BESS sizing with minimum power rating of 25% of the project capacity, and storage duration of 4 hrs.” (Policy Reference: Q7)
“For projects seeking exemption of Electricity Duty under section 7.2.2 of the policy, minimum ESS capacity shall remain 2 MWh per MW of RE connectivity, but can avail flexibility of minimum BESS power rating of 25% of RE Capacity.”
Takeaway: You have room to engineer the battery to your load profile — but the total energy (1 MWh/MW, or 2 MWh/MW for the electricity-duty exemption) and the 25% power-rating floor are fixed.
When does the BESS have to be commissioned?
Q. Is it necessary to commission (CoD) projects under the new RE policy along with BESS?
“Yes, RE projects under new policy which require BESS, must have CoD along with BESS. In cases where projects/capacity is commissioned in phases, corresponding/proportional BESS capacity will also have to be commissioned at the time of commissioning of relevant RE capacity. MEDA shall ensure strict compliance of BESS deployment, sizing and commissioning… through its single window portal.” (Policy Reference: Q8)
Takeaway: No commissioning your solar first and adding batteries “later.” The BESS has to go live with the RE capacity — and MEDA is enforcing it through the single-window portal.
Where must the storage be located?
Q. What is the minimum storage requirement in case of Hybrid RE projects?
“Minimum level of storage is mandatory for projects with capacity/connectivity more than 100 kW… ESS has to be co-located with the RE project, and the minimum storage mandate shall be applicable for each connectivity point.” (Policy Reference: §5.2.1)
I already have (or am building) a project — which policy applies to me?
Q. Which projects qualify as “under-construction RE projects”?
“Projects which have received ‘In principle Grid Connectivity’ approval before the notification of the policy, that is 18th March 2026, shall be governed by 2020 RE Policy or 2015 RE Policy as may be applicable… As per §5.2.2, adding storage or RE (PV/Wind) capacity to existing RE projects is allowed, subject to certain requirements.” (Policy Reference: §3(d))
Takeaway: If your grid connectivity came through before 18 March 2026, you stay on the old policy (and can’t migrate to the new one). Everyone else — and every new project — falls under the new mandate. Existing projects can add solar or storage capacity without disturbing their existing PPA, as long as grid injection stays within sanctioned limits.
(The full FAQ also covers Renewable Energy Industrial (REI) Zones under §6.4 — developable by State PSUs, JVs and PPP models with ₹500 crore of budgetary support; 100% private-sector RE parks are not eligible for that state support.)
What This Actually Means for Your Project
The policy is unambiguous: for any new solar project above 100 kW in Maharashtra, a battery is now part of the bill of materials. That’s true for open-access developers, C&I rooftop, RTPV, and onsite/behind-the-meter installations alike.
For most project owners, the single biggest question this raises is cost. Adding 1 MWh of storage for every MW of solar can materially change a project’s economics — and for years, new lithium storage has been the expensive line item that made large BESS hard to justify.
That’s exactly the problem worth solving.
The Cost-Effective Way to Meet the Mandate: Nunam Upcycled Batteries
If storage is now compulsory, the smart move is to meet the requirement with the lowest-cost, safest storage available — without cutting corners on reliability.
This is where Nunam comes in. Nunam builds upcycled LiFePO₄ battery systems from repurposed electric-vehicle batteries — delivering the same LiFePO₄ safety and performance as new lithium, at up to 30% lower cost. Techedge is Nunam’s supply and execution partner in India.
For a Maharashtra project now required to add 1 MWh/MW of storage, that cost difference goes straight to the bottom line:
- Up to ~30% cheaper than an equivalent new-lithium BESS — meeting the mandate for less capital
- LiFePO₄ chemistry — the safest lithium format; no thermal-runaway risk, stable at high temperatures
- Modular, rack-mounted “HV Series” — scales cleanly to match your 1 MWh/MW (or 2 MWh/MW) requirement
- Circular economy — repurposed cells that still retain strong usable capacity, extending their life 5-10 years
In short: the policy tells you that you need storage. Nunam is how you meet it affordably.
Proof It Works at Scale: 288 kWh in Pune
This isn’t theory. Techedge recently commissioned an 80 kW solar + 288 kWh Nunam battery system at a farmhouse near Pune — a large, real-world second-life BESS that completely eliminated the site’s 15-20 litres/day of diesel usage.
👉 See the full case study: 80 kW Solar + 288 kWh Nunam Battery, Pune
If a 288 kWh Nunam bank can anchor an outage-prone farmhouse, it can meet the storage mandate for your C&I or open-access project too.
How Techedge Helps You Stay Compliant — and Profitable
As an EPC that already designs, supplies and installs compliant solar + BESS systems in Maharashtra, Techedge can:
- Size your mandatory BESS correctly — 1 MWh/MW (or 2 MWh/MW for electricity-duty exemption), with the 25% power-rating floor built in.
- Engineer the storage to your load — using the sizing flexibility the FAQ allows, so you don’t over-spend on capacity you don’t need.
- Meet the CoD-with-BESS requirement — solar and storage commissioned together, compliant with MEDA’s single-window portal.
- Cut the cost of compliance — with Nunam upcycled LiFePO₄ storage, up to 30% cheaper than new lithium.
The storage mandate isn’t a burden if you meet it the right way — it’s a chance to build a more reliable, diesel-free, future-ready asset.
Planning a solar project over 100 kW in Maharashtra? Talk to Techedge for a policy-compliant solar + BESS design and a cost comparison using Nunam upcycled batteries — or explore Nunam battery solutions and our diesel generator replacement approach. Farmer Producer Organizations can also see how a solar-powered microgrid turns crop residue into income.
This article summarises the Government of Maharashtra RE & ESS Policy 2025-26 to 2035-36 FAQ (Energy Department, Version 1.0, August 2026) for general guidance. For project-specific decisions, refer to the official policy and GR, or consult MEDA.