Engagement models
Own it, lease it or buy the service
Storage and charging can be paid for upfront, over time or as a service. The right model depends on your balance sheet, how long you'll stay at the site, and who you want carrying the performance risk. We lay the options side by side, with the assumptions shown.
The rules allow it
Storage you can own, lease or rent
Since the Electricity Rules amendment of September 2025, consumers may develop, own, lease or operate energy storage, and can buy, lease or rent storage capacity. Energy storage has also been on the Ministry of Finance's Harmonised Master List of Infrastructure since October 2022, which helps with long-tenure lending.
Source: Ministry of Power (PIB), Modernisation of the Power Sector and Reliable Electricity Supply (opens in a new tab) (3 August 2026 (rules notified September 2025)).
Source: Ministry of Power (PIB), Development and Deployment of Energy Storage Capacities to Power Reliable Renewable Future (opens in a new tab) (18 December 2025).
Seven ways to engage
Pick the model that fits your balance sheet
Consulting engagement
A fixed-fee study or an owner's-engineer retainer. We advise; you decide and procure.
How it works: First conversation, Scope & fee, Study or site support, Report & recommendations
- You pay
- A fee per study or per month
- Suits
- Before any capex decision, or when you plan to tender
Capex EPC
You own the system from day one. We design, supply, build and commission it, with an optional annual maintenance contract (AMC).
How it works: Feasibility, Contract & design, Build & commission, Handover (+ AMC)
- You pay
- Milestone payments
- Suits
- Sites with capital available and a long horizon
Supply & install, or integration only
You've chosen the equipment, or have an in-house team; we install, integrate and commission.
How it works: Scope review, Interface matrix, Install & integrate, Commission & hand over
- You pay
- Contract price for our scope
- Suits
- Owners with a preferred maker or a network-supplied charger
Storage-as-a-service
CHE Energy or a financing partner owns the system; you pay a fixed monthly fee covering hardware, the energy management system (EMS) and operations and maintenance (O&M) under a service-level agreement.
† Arranged with financing partners, subject to credit and site assessment.
How it works: Consultation, Service agreement, Build & operate, Ongoing optimisation
- You pay
- A fixed monthly fee over a multi-year term
- Suits
- Sites that want no upfront capex and a predictable cost
BOO / BOOT
We, with a financing partner, build, own and operate (BOO) the battery or charging hub, and you pay a capacity or per-kWh fee. Under build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT), ownership transfers to you at the end of the term; under BOO, it does not.
† Arranged with financing partners, subject to credit and site assessment.
How it works: Feasibility, Term sheet, Build, own, operate, Transfer (BOOT) or renew
- You pay
- A capacity or per-kWh fee
- Suits
- Larger sites and charging hubs with long-term demand
O&M-only / AMC
We maintain storage, chargers or solar, ours or installed by others, for a fixed annual fee with defined scope, response times and exclusions.
How it works: Baseline inspection & test, AMC scope, Maintain & report, Annual review
- You pay
- A fixed annual fee
- Suits
- Any existing system
Compare
The models side by side
| Model | Who owns | Who operates & maintains | How you pay | Who carries performance risk | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consulting engagement | Not applicable | Not applicable | A fee per study or per month | You carry project risk; we're accountable for the quality of our advice | Before any capex decision, or when you plan to tender |
| Capex EPC | You | You, or us under an AMC | Milestone payments | You carry performance beyond the makers' warranties and our workmanship warranty | Sites with capital available and a long horizon |
| Supply & install, or integration only | You | You, or us under an AMC | Contract price for our scope | Split between the equipment supplier and us, as defined in the interface matrix | Owners with a preferred maker or a network-supplied charger |
| Storage-as-a-service † | CHE Energy or a financing partner | CHE Energy | A fixed monthly fee over a multi-year term | Carried largely by the owner and operator, within the service-level agreement | Sites that want no upfront capex and a predictable cost |
| BOO / BOOT † | CHE Energy or a partner (BOOT: transfers to you at term end) | CHE Energy | A capacity or per-kWh fee | Carried by the owner-operator | Larger sites and charging hubs with long-term demand |
| Shared savings † | As agreed (often CHE Energy or a partner during the term) | CHE Energy | A share of verified savings | Shared: no savings, no fee on that share | Sites with clean baseline data and stable operations |
| O&M-only / AMC | You | You, with our maintenance | A fixed annual fee | Defined in the AMC | Any existing system |
† Arranged with financing partners, subject to credit and site assessment.
Straight answers
No payback promises before the data
- We don't quote payback years or savings percentages until we've seen your data. Any model we propose comes with the assumptions, so you can test them.
- The central viability gap funding (VGF) schemes support utility-scale projects procured by states and utilities, not commercial or industrial sites.
- Lithium-ion batteries (HSN 8507) attract 18% GST; since 22 September 2025, all batteries under that heading are at 18%.
- Tax and accounting treatment depends on your situation; ask your chartered accountant (CA).
- Lender and insurer pack: specification, single-line diagram, equipment certificates and fire-test data, safety layout, commissioning report, O&M plan and warranty terms.
Source: MNRE (PIB), Government Takes Multi-Pronged Steps to Scale Up Energy Storage Capacity in the Country (opens in a new tab) (3 February 2026).
Source: pv magazine India, India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) welcomes the new tax regime under GST 2.0 (opens in a new tab) (8 September 2025).
Questions about paying for it
Start with a conversation
Let's compare the ways to pay for your site.
A phone call is enough to start. If you have them, 12 months of electricity bills, 15-minute meter data, DG running hours and any EV plans let us come back with a first view of what fits.