Chennai Startup Meine Electric Successfully Tests New Cost-Effective Iron-Air Battery
Chennai-based deep-tech startup Meine Electric has successfully completed independent testing for its newly developed, cost-effective iron-air battery technology. The testing, which was conducted from May 23 to June 01, 2026, confirmed that the battery can charge in six hours and discharge power continuously for 18 hours, providing a viable solution for storing solar energy.
The technology underwent rigorous evaluation by the CES Battery Laboratory, a division of the US-based firm Customized Energy Solutions. Customized Energy Solutions is also the parent company of the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA).
According to the evaluation report, each battery cell was subjected to a strict 24-hour charge-discharge protocol. This cycle consisted of a rapid six-hour charging period followed by an 18-hour discharging period. Over the course of the testing window, the cells successfully completed seven full cycles.
Priyansh Mohan, the co-founder and CEO of Meine Electric, explained that this specific cycle is designed to compress the technology to align directly with how solar grids actually operate in real-world scenarios. Storing solar power generated during daytime hours has remained one of India’s most significant hurdles in its transition to clean energy.
The development of this technology comes as India races toward its target of achieving 500 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by the year 2030. Pankaj Batra, the former chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority, described the iron-air batteries as a potentially revolutionary technology for grid-scale energy storage. Batra noted that the technology offers a significantly cheaper alternative to existing lithium-ion and vanadium-based batteries.
The startup has already secured four patents for its battery technology and has filed applications for seven additional patents. Looking forward, Meine Electric has secured two pilot orders with power producers, and the company expects its first grid-connected deployment to be launched in early 2027.
