Latest news with #Bescom
News18
17 hours ago
- Automotive
- News18
Bengaluru Launches Solar EV Hub With 23 Charging Points And Battery Reuse Tech
Last Updated: The construction of an EV charging hub near the airport has been done keeping in mind the cab drivers and the public who use EVs to travel between the airport and the city. A solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station was unveiled near the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on June 2. Touted as the first of its kind, the solar energy is stored in old car batteries at this EV charging station. The construction of an EV charging hub near the airport has been specifically done keeping in mind thousands of cab drivers and the general public who use EVs to travel between the airport and the city. Energy Minister KJ George inaugurated the facility in the presence of Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, BESCOM Managing Director Dr N Shivashankar, B.A.S., and other officials. Speaking at the event, the energy minister said that this is the first EV station in India to be powered by second-life batteries. 'This large-scale EV charging hub, developed through a partnership between Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), can charge 23 vehicles simultaneously. At this station, solar energy is stored in old car batteries. Solar power generated during the day is stored using this battery system and supplied to electric vehicles around the clock," he explained. The energy minister added that the Karnataka government is fully committed to supporting the growing demand for Electric vehicles in the state and expanding charging stations and related infrastructure. 'Karnataka's EV policy further strengthens this commitment. The newly inaugurated EV charging station will greatly benefit cab drivers and the general public using electric vehicles," he said. The charging hub includes a 45-kilowatt solar power system and 100 KWH second-life battery storage capacity. Of the 23 charging points, 18 have fast-charging points and five have slow chargers. Managing Director of Bescom, N. Shivashankar, claimed that this EV station is the first in the country to provide 24/7 EV charging facilities. Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda said, 'It's a matter of pride that a new EV charging station has come up near Bengaluru airport, benefiting cab drivers and EV users. With around 10,000 cabs operating daily—many of them electric—this facility shows Karnataka's continued leadership in EV initiatives," reported Money Control. As per data from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Union Ministry of Power, Karnataka is the first Indian state to introduce an EV policy in 2017. Currently, it is at the forefront of EV infrastructure in the country, with a total of 5,880 charging stations across the state. Of these, around 4,462 EV charging stations are located in the Bengaluru urban district. Karnataka is followed by Maharashtra, Delhi, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
HC stays BDA action as Bengaluru apartment faces power disconnection threat
BENGALURU : The high court stayed Bangalore Development Authority 's ( BDA ) decision to cancel the no-objection certificate (NOC) and occupancy certificate (OC) of Kendriya Vihar Apartments in Yelahanka after residents challenged the move, citing a lack of fair hearing. The 24-year-old apartment complex, which made headlines two years ago due to flooding, now faces risks of power disconnection and cancellation of possession certificate after the fire and emergency services department directed Bescom and BBMP to withhold approvals. A copy of the directive is available with TOI. The HC stay came during the hearing of a writ petition on May 22, where Justice CM Joshi observed that BDA's move — which also led to power supply being cut — was taken without giving the petitioner an opportunity to be heard, violating the principle of a fair hearing. The judgment followed a directive from the fire department, which asked Bescom and BBMP to disconnect electricity and revoke possession approval for the high-rise complex at Kogilu Cross in Yelahanka, citing serious violations of fire-safety norms. The 29.6-metre-tall building allegedly failed to renew its mandatory fire-clearance certificate — which, under the National Building Code and state rules, must be updated every two years. A 2024 inspection by the Yelahanka fire station confirmed violations of safety and zoning regulations. Officials said the builder was required to obtain a fire NOC before construction and clearance certificate after completion, both of which were either delayed or not renewed. Despite several reminders and a final seven-day notice issued in March 2025, the clearance remains pending. Following this, the department formally asked Bescom not to supply power to the building — or to disconnect if already provided — and instructed BBMP to withhold or cancel the project's possession certificate. Copies of the letter were also sent to the building owner and local representative. Shiva Prasad, president of Kendriya Vihar Apartment Owners' Association, told TOI: "Our building is 24 years old. We took charge in 2011 after the earlier associations failed to renew the fire NOC. We applied for renewal in Feb this year, but now we're being penalised for legacy issues. The rules shouldn't apply selectively to Kendriya Vihar. With so many complications, only the court can bring clarity."
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
High court stays BDA action as Bengaluru apartment faces power disconnection threat
Bengaluru: The high court stayed Bangalore Development Authority's (BDA) decision to cancel the no-objection certificate (NOC) and occupancy certificate (OC) of Kendriya Vihar Apartments in Yelahanka after residents challenged the move, citing a lack of fair hearing. The 24-year-old apartment complex, which made headlines two years ago due to flooding, now faces risks of power disconnection and cancellation of possession certificate after the fire and emergency services department directed Bescom and BBMP to withhold approvals. A copy of the directive is available with TOI. The HC stay came during the hearing of a writ petition on May 22, where Justice CM Joshi observed that BDA's move — which also led to power supply being cut — was taken without giving the petitioner an opportunity to be heard, violating the principle of a fair hearing. The judgment followed a directive from the fire department, which asked Bescom and BBMP to disconnect electricity and revoke possession approval for the high-rise complex at Kogilu Cross in Yelahanka, citing serious violations of fire-safety norms. The 29.6-metre-tall building allegedly failed to renew its mandatory fire-clearance certificate — which, under the National Building Code and state rules, must be updated every two years. A 2024 inspection by the Yelahanka fire station confirmed violations of safety and zoning regulations. Officials said the builder was required to obtain a fire NOC before construction and clearance certificate after completion, both of which were either delayed or not renewed. Despite several reminders and a final seven-day notice issued in March 2025, the clearance remains pending. Following this, the department formally asked Bescom not to supply power to the building — or to disconnect if already provided — and instructed BBMP to withhold or cancel the project's possession certificate. Copies of the letter were also sent to the building owner and local representative. Shiva Prasad, president of Kendriya Vihar Apartment Owners' Association, told TOI: "Our building is 24 years old. We took charge in 2011 after the earlier associations failed to renew the fire NOC. We applied for renewal in Feb this year, but now we're being penalised for legacy issues. The rules shouldn't apply selectively to Kendriya Vihar. With so many complications, only the court can bring clarity."
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Solar-integrated, second-life battery powered EV charging station inaugurated in Bengaluru
What is being termed as the first-of-its-kind solar-integrated EV charging station, powered by second-life batteries, in India, was inaugurated near Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on June 2. Energy Minister K. J. George, who inaugurated the facility, said that this is the first EV station in India to be powered by second-life batteries. 'This large-scale EV charging hub, developed through a partnership between Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) and the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), can charge 23 vehicles simultaneously. At this station, solar energy is stored in old car batteries. Solar power generated during the day is stored using this battery system, and supplied to electric vehicles round-the-clock,' he explained. The hub includes a 45 kilowatt (KW) solar power system and 100 KWH second-life battery storage capacity. It has 18 fast-charging points and five slow-charging ones. 'This is the first charging station in the country to provide 24/7 EV charging facilities,' said N. Shivashankar, Managing Director, Bescom. The Energy Minister said that the government is fully committed to support the growing demand for EVs in Karnataka, and expanding charging stations and related infrastructure. 'Karnataka's EV policy further strengthens this commitment. The newly-inaugurated EV charging station will greatly benefit cab drivers and the general public using electric vehicles,' he said. The charging station, which was awaiting inauguration for almost a year now, has been operational for the last few months.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
EV charging stations usage goes up in Karnataka as number of EV users increases
In the last few months, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) has seen an increase in electricity consumption in their public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations. While 14,648 charging sessions delivering electricity of 65,278 kWh were registered in November 2024, the number went up by more than two times in the month of April 2025, as 29,538 charging sessions were registered delivering around 1,85,051 kWh electricity. Bescom officials attributed this rise to the increasing number of EVs and charging stations in its jurisdiction. 'The number of EVs, especially around Bengaluru, has been going up consistently over the years. We have increased the number of public charging stations to cater to this demand. We have added 140 new stations since the beginning of this year,' said a senior official from Bescom. According to the data available on Vahan dashboard, the official portal of the the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), 19,284 new EVs were registered across Karnataka from January 2025 till date. Between 2022 and 2023, the State saw a sharp spike in the number of EV registrations with 1,52,663 new EVs registered in 2023. In 2022, 95,839 new EVs were registered. In 2024, the number of new EV registrations (battery operated vehicles and pure EV) was 2,03,453. Increase in demand EV sellers have seen an increase in demand in the last few years. 'Bengaluru has been one of the top three performing cities for Oben Electric, reflecting the city's growing appetite for sustainable, tech-driven mobility solutions. Over the past two years, demand for EVs here has seen a significant upswing,' said Dinkar Agrawal, founder, CTO, COO at Oben Electric. 'Several factors have contributed to this growth. Karnataka's EV policies played a key role by offering demand-side incentives, supporting local manufacturing, and enabling faster infrastructure deployment. Bengaluru's early adopter mindset, environmental consciousness, and tech-forward population further accelerated this shift. The steady expansion of public and private charging networks across the city has helped ease range anxiety, making EVs a practical choice for daily commuting,' he said. EV buyers, on the other hand, say they are prompted by economic reasons. Sriharsha. M., a resident of Jayanagar, who bought an electric two-wheeler in October 2024, said, 'Switching to an EV has saved both time and money, as there are no more long waits at petrol stations. My running cost has dropped significantly. The fact that I will be contributing to a cleaner environment also made me want to buy an EV.' The challenge is to scale up at speed The latest data provided by the Central Government shows that Karnataka has the highest number of public EV charging stations (5,880) in India, out of which over 4,000 are in Bengaluru. However, with the increasing number of vehicles, motorists say that the existing infrastructure is not enough. Many of them complain that the public charging stations set up by both private companies and the government are not free of glitches. 'Sometimes, the apps which I use show that a certain public charger is working, but when I go there, it will be out of service. I do not find charging stations nearby in all the areas. The need of the hour is an increase in the number of public chargers across Bengaluru. Those who set up chargers should ensure that it is in the right condition to provide services to EV users,' said Shalini. Y.P., an electric two-wheeler user from Thalaghattapura. EV sellers opine that increasing and enhancing the infrastructure will provide more commuters with the confidence to switch to EVs. 'While Bengaluru has made commendable strides in building EV infrastructure, with over 4,400 charging stations already operational, the challenge now lies in scaling up with speed. Infrastructure needs to be not just available but ubiquitous, user-friendly, and integrated seamlessly into daily routines,' said Mr. Agrawal. 'For a leading EV city like Bengaluru, the next phase of growth depends on deepening infrastructure access across residential, commercial, and transit zones. As electric two-wheeler adoption accelerates the gaps in convenience and charging speed while uniformity across platforms could influence consumer confidence.' Battery powered charging station near Devanahalli After a long wait for formal inauguration, Bescom's first-of-its-kind initiative — an EV charging station powered by second-life batteries — has begun operations near the Kempegowda International Airport at Devanahalli. In February, 1,606 charging sessions were recorded at the station while in March, the number more than doubled with 3,804 charging sessions. In April, 5,069 charging sessions were recorded at the station. This charging station has a rooftop solar installation, which powers the chargers during day time. The excess solar energy is stored in batteries and is used to power the chargers in non-solar hours.
