In India, only 46 per cent of the cultivated land is irrigated. With more than 19 million agriculture electricity connections, irrigation accounts for more than a fifth of the country’s total power sales.

Electricity generated from any source, whether traditional or renewable, needs to be consumed instantly. This limitation of electricity has led to the development of energy storage technologies. Energy storage has been part of the electric system for decades.

Biomass pellet production has increased considerably in recent years, mainly due to the demand created by policies and bioenergy-use targets in the European Union (EU). Global biomass pellet production was 24.1 million tonne (Mt) in 2014.

Patents and other intellectual property such as know-how are a complex issue for policy makers and civil society experts, especially considering the large number of patents involved and the sensitivity and confidentiality around licensing agreements. This paper does not attempt to offer a solution to the patent debate.