Water purifier major KENT RO Systems has diversified into clean energy, investing ₹250 crore in a lithium battery and inverter plant in Sector 159, Noida, the company announced on October 21–22, 2026. The new division, Kent New Energy, is the latest big manufacturing bet in the startup funding in India ecosystem's energy-transition story.
3.5 GWh today, 10 GWh in six months
The plant has an installed annual capacity of 3.5 GWh, which the company plans to scale to 10 GWh within six months. Its product range pairs modular lithium battery packs from 5.1 kWh to 16 kWh with solar hybrid inverters, storing rooftop-solar or grid power for use after sunset and during outages. Products will be sold through KENT RO's dealer network, retail stores and online channels, with larger packs and inverters also reaching customers through system integrators and EPC partners.
Local ambition, imported cells — for now
The company sources battery cells from Tier-1 manufacturers EVE and REPT, while working with Tier-1 inverter makers. Chairman and Managing Director Dr Mahesh Gupta flagged that batteries and inverters are still high-priced and key components like cells are imported — a challenge the domestic supply chain must solve. Its hybrid inverters ship with a 4G data logger and a five-year data pack, with data stored on Indian servers in line with MNRE requirements. India's inverter battery market is estimated at about $1.31 billion and is expected to grow at double-digit rates until 2031. KENT has also secured a 25-acre plot in the YEIDA region for future expansion, with around ₹500 crore planned over three years.
Why it matters for founders
KENT's move shows how legacy consumer brands can ride the rooftop-solar wave — PM Surya Ghar aims at one crore households — by extending an existing distribution network into energy. For founders, the playbook is adjacency: your dealer network, service vans and customer trust are reusable assets. The fastest growth in hardware comes from selling new categories through channels you already own.