This article explores how solar energy, battery storage, electric vehicles and atmospheric water generation can work together to address energy, mobility and water challenges. From fuel queues to climate crisis, solar energy combined with battery storage and atmospheric water generation offers a powerful path to energy and water self-sufficiency.
During the US–Iran tensions, we witnessed people standing in long queues to get fuel. During the Russia–Ukraine war, obtaining precious raw materials became a challenge, impacting semiconductor manufacturing.
However, the major crisis facing the world is not war - it is climate change.
In India, we are seeing the impact of climate change in the form of an extended summer in southern states. Also, 315 districts across the country have been identified as facing a severe rainfall deficit.
Globally, temperatures are rising to the point where people in Europe had to buy air conditioners and fans while standing in long queues. Europe reported more than 10,000 excess deaths in June during the heat wave.
Blistering temperatures rising to 40°C and above will be branded as “cruelly hot” in Japan, as per their weather agency. A total of 453 people required hospital treatment for heat-related issues on a single day in Japan - the highest since records began in 2010, according to the Tokyo Fire Department.
The main cause of global warming is the increase in greenhouse gases in the air, primarily driven by burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Using coal, oil, and gas for electricity, heat, and transport releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the air - the largest source of pollution causing global temperatures to rise.
Trees and forests absorb carbon dioxide from the air, helping to balance the climate. Cutting down or burning forests removes these trees and releases stored carbon back into the air, leading to global warming.
Renewable energy in general, and solar in particular, helps in a significant way in protecting the Earth from the impact of climate change. The advantage of solar energy is that it is clean, produces no emissions, and has no fuel cost.
The amount of solar energy available each year globally is 32 times the total energy that can be produced from all the reserves of fossil fuels on Earth combined.
To reduce the impact of climate change, several countries have committed to achieving Net Zero by 2050 - that is, net emissions will be zero, either by reducing emissions or increasing absorption. India has committed to achieving Net Zero by 2070. India has also committed to achieving 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, and plans to achieve 280 GW of solar within that target.
The biggest challenge with solar energy has been that the sun shines only during the day, whereas power is required around the clock. Surplus power produced during the day also cannot be utilised without a storage solution. A report indicates that 72 GWh of solar power was curtailed during the first quarter of this year alone.
This can be mitigated by battery storage solutions, which store energy during the day and supply power through the night.
Batteries have come a long way. Unlike the bulky, high-maintenance units of the past that required periodic top-ups with distilled water, lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) batteries are now available in compact sizes, require no maintenance, and can run for 6,000 cycles. These batteries come with warranties of up to ten years, unlike lead-acid batteries, which had a maximum lifespan of five years. A typical 16 kWh lithium iron phosphate battery measures just 40 cm x 23 cm - roughly the size of a laptop - and can be wall-mounted. For comparison, this battery holds a capacity 13 times higher than a standard 150 Ah lead-acid solar battery. Its weight is also only approximately twice that of a 1.8 kWh lead-acid battery, making the energy density advantage striking.
The next question that arises is how to connect these batteries and utilise them when an existing on-grid setup with on-grid inverters is already up and running. Will all the investment made in the existing setup become obsolete? The answer is no.
An existing on-grid setup can be converted into a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) solution using AC coupling, wherein power stored in batteries is converted into AC and coupled with the AC power output of the on-grid inverter. This allows one to convert an existing on-grid setup into a hybrid setup with battery storage without any disruption to prior investment.
For clients planning a new setup or greenfield projects, DC coupling is an excellent option. In this configuration, the power stored in the batteries and the output of the solar system are coupled on the DC side before the combined power is converted to AC. This avoids multiple power conversions and is therefore more efficient.
With a BESS system, one can save power in batteries and use it during peak hours, thereby eliminating peak demand charges. It also helps in grid stabilisation and avoids situations where open-access solar systems are forced to curtail production when excess power is available in the grid.
Recent disruptions in fuel supply across several parts of the country, and persistent air pollution in cities such as Delhi, have strengthened the case for shifting to electricity for running manufacturing units and commercial establishments, as well as for transitioning to electric vehicles. If this shift is also made towards solar power, both manufacturing operations and employee vehicles can run on solar energy - with virtually no operational fuel cost.
This combination can provide not only uninterrupted power 24x7 to the remotest village, but also freedom of movement through solar-charged electric vehicles. Any part of the country becomes reachable and empowered.
We can also explore the option of retrofitting existing vehicles with electric drivetrains, so that existing investments are utilised in the most optimum way.
Having discussed solar power for vehicles and organisations, it is time to turn to another essential element required by all living things - one that is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity: water.
It is said that if a third world war ever occurs, it may well be over water. With declining rainfall, over-exploitation of bore wells, contamination, and depleting groundwater, access to drinking water is becoming a genuine challenge.
There is nothing more essential to life on Earth than water. Yet people across the world are struggling to access the quantity and quality of water needed for drinking, cooking, bathing, hand washing, and growing food. A study estimates that 2.2 billion people globally lack access to clean water. Without clean, easily accessible water, families and communities remain trapped in poverty for generations.
India holds approximately 4 per cent of the world’s freshwater resources while supporting 16 per cent of its population. An estimated 163 million people in the country lack access to safe drinking water, and around 21 per cent of diseases in India are linked to unsafe water.
In this context, Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) technology offers a compelling solution. AWG systems generate clean, safe drinking water directly from air. Since they draw on atmospheric humidity rather than groundwater, they do not burden the existing water supply chain. These systems can produce sufficient water even in conditions of lower humidity and in air-conditioned environments, where they also function as effective dehumidifiers. Multiple filtration technologies ensure that the water produced meets safe drinking water standards, providing contaminant-free water without the need to connect to a bore well or any other source.
There is no need to worry about the supply, changing, or lifting of water cans. All that is required is power to run the system - and if that power comes from solar with battery backup, then clean drinking water is available at virtually no operational cost.
Imagine a setup where solar power with BESS storage provides uninterrupted electricity 24x7 for running an organisation and residences, solar-powered EV charging handles all vehicles, and atmospheric water generation powered by solar supplies clean drinking water. In this scenario, all three major components of operational expenditure - power, fuel, and water - are enabled by solar energy and come virtually free.
One of the largest components of India’s import bill is crude oil. By shifting to solar-powered EV charging with battery backup, and solar power for manufacturing operations, we can help our country reduce its import bill substantially. This would also contribute to stabilising the rupee against the dollar.
By the fusion of solar with battery and air, we can generate uninterrupted power and clean, safe drinking water - from sunshine and the atmosphere.
Apart from these practical benefits, we would be doing a service to society, to our country, and to the Earth by utilising clean energy - and handing over a cleaner, pollution-free world to subsequent generations.
Rain or shine, in times of peace or adversity, we will become self-sufficient, independent, and truly empowered.
About the Author
Kumar Partha is an Electrical Engineer from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, with nearly three decades of industry experience. He has held senior leadership positions at prominent organisations including Tata Elxsi, Wipro, HCL, Computer Science Corporation, GTS, and CMS IT Services, leading delivery teams of up to 2,000 professionals and sales operations across India and the Middle East. He currently serves as Executive Director of MySunGrass Private Limited, providing integrated solutions in renewable energy, atmospheric water generation, and IT services.