Replus Engitech Private Limited is a technology-led manufacturing start-up that caters to the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) segment as per the market needs and has deployed various projects to support various power and energy applications. We called on Hiren Praveen Shah, Executive Director and CEO of Riplus, and discussed the company’s inception, current status and future plans with respect to advanced solutions for the battery energy storage industry, and how Riplus Engitech can play a vital role . Riplus provides solutions based on lithium-ion technology, advanced cell chemistry, in-house BMS and EMS design, battery pack manufacturing, monitoring and tracking systems.
Hiren Praveen Shah is the Executive Director and CEO of Replus Engitech.
Cnb: What is RePlus Engitech? Can you share the background of this?
Hiren Praveen Shah: RePlus Engitech started almost three years ago, in August 2019, with the idea process to meet the domestic needs of energy, which would have social impact. It should also be sustainable, smart, secure and shareable. Initially, the grid was using fossil fuels, hence the need for renewable sources. And the answer was storage, that was the first step, and I thought storage was inevitable because the grid needed to be green. Secondly, even from the consumer side, people will not adapt or change to electric vehicles. The TCO calculation for each vehicle was a game changer as the cost of the way we use mobility will also change going forward. And that will be a driving force. Because once the components and products are manufactured locally, they will move fast. So, with these two things in mind, RePlus Engitech was conceptualized.
Cnb: Can you throw light on some of the successful projects undertaken by RePlus Engitech?
HPS: Initially, we developed microgrids for projects on islands, resorts, etc. with commercial industrial applications. One such example is Big Basket, which has refrigerated warehouses for perishable goods. We built a microgrid for them, replacing their dependence on diesel generators with solar rooftops. Another special project we started was the Modhera Sun Temple project, which was completed in August 2021, where we installed India’s first solar power plant, which provided electricity to the entire village. Then we collaborated with the Central Government funded Power Corporation Limited along with several stakeholders. Here, we built a 7-MW solar farm with an agenda to generate and store electricity, and then stored it in Replus Engitech’s 19.2-MW storage system. At the end of the day, the power stored in the battery is used to light the entire village, while the excess electricity is either kept in the battery or transferred back to the grid depending on the need. After a successful inaugural year, the project received a positive response from the center as well as the village.
The system is controlled through a micro-grid controller which involves demand-response to match the demand to the available supply in the safest and most optimized manner.
CNB: How has the shortage of electronic chips and other components affected your business?
HPS: Certainly, two components—steel and semiconductor—are severely lacking. We have secured strategic partnerships with global manufacturers and since our demand is very low, these companies easily meet our requirements. On the semiconductor side, we have signed strategic deals with a number of players in the region, with components supplied from Southeast Asia markets. Although the market is saturated right now, we expect it to pick up momentum soon.
In the grid-edge ecosystem, Riplus can guide utilities in their digital transformation, providing consultancy, expertise in distributed energy resources (DER), micro-grid, and battery energy storage, and full automation solutions.
CNB: Any plans to set up a production facility for the battery storage system and advanced cell chemistry in India?
HPS: We have our own manufacturing facility that we really want to explore, and our first unit will be operational by 2023. We will also have our own Battery Storage System (BSS), but currently, it is being sourced from overseas markets. At present, India does not produce its own electronic components required for automobiles and hence are exported. Of course, work has begun on setting up the supply chain here, but there is no timeline. Having said that, we have very strong associations with American, Taiwanese and Japanese chipset manufacturers, giving us access to the latest developments. Secondly, we are not expecting to get into cell manufacturing at this time. But once we cross a certain threshold, of course we will seriously consider advanced cell chemistry.