POWERGEN India 2024 wraps up with a Unified Vision for India’s Energy Transition

by Psu Connect
Date: 11-09-24

The final session reviewed two panels, “Emission Control Norms and the Roadmap to Compliance and Women Leaders on the Future of Power.”

POWERGEN India 2024 wraps up with a Unified Vision for India’s Energy Transition

The POWERGEN India 2024, co-located with Indian Utility Week and Bharat Electricity, drew to a close at Yashobhoomi, IICC Dwarka, New Delhi on 6th September, 2024. Over three dynamic days, the event brought together over 200 exhibitors, 120+ expert speakers, and 8,000 professionals, showcasing a collaborative vision for a sustainable energy future in India.

The event, inaugurated by Shri Pralhad Joshi, Hon'ble Union Minister, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy & Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, witnessed high-level discussions on the integration of renewable energy into the grid, digital transformation in the energy sector, emission control, and the role of advanced technologies in ensuring energy security.

Reflecting on the successful conclusion of the event, Shri P. K. Pujari, IAS (Retd.), Honorary Chairperson of the Governing Council for POWERGEN India, and Indian Utility Week, stated, “We had this event for three days and the participation has been very impressive. The issues that were discussed are key to India’s energy transition. The idea was to get all the stakeholders in the power sector together and find convergence in challenges and issues.” He further added, “This summit has succeeded in doing that. Number of issues and areas where further work is required have come up. Hon'ble Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi in the inaugural session has suggested that these issues may be collated and put in a framework so that the stakeholders can work on it. It will facilitate India on its path of energy transition.”

The event commenced with a powerful exploration of opportunities in India's energy transition, highlighting India's role as a global leader in renewable energy with its impressive rank of 4th in installed renewable capacity. Shri Anil Sardana, Managing Director of Adani Energy Solutions, outlined Gujarat’s current power landscape, with 50% of its 53 GW installed capacity coming from renewables, and plans to scale up to 100 GW by 2030. He also emphasized GUNL’s recent agreements for 13 GW of new renewable energy capacity, positioning Gujarat as a leader in wind and solar energy. Shri Sardana noted that Gujarat's initiatives will play a crucial role in helping India meet its 500 GW renewable energy target by 2030. Shri Vivek Kumar Dewangan, MD, REC Limited; Shri S R Narasimhan, CMD, GRID India; Mr. Kazunari Fukui, Asia Decarbonisation Leader, GE Vernova; Shri R P Gupta, CMD, SECI; Dr. Alexandria Huerta, Deputy Mission Director, USAID, New Delhi, were also amongst the few prominent personalities who were a notable voice during the sessions.

Day two saw a series of impactful sessions which delved into India’s power generation. Shri Sanil C Namboodiripad of ONGC Tripura Power Co. Ltd emphasized the role of gas turbines in supporting grid stability and meeting the 500 GW fossil fuel-free target by 2030. The discussions also covered the challenges of scaling renewable energy, with Shri Deepesh Nanda, President - Renewables, Tata Power and MD & CEO, Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd highlighting connectivity issues and the importance of battery storage. One such session, moderated by Shri. Anurag Johri, MD & Lead Utilities, Accenture India, discussed strategies to navigate India’s energy utility landscape and transformation roadmap. Also, Shri R. Sarangapani, Executive Director, (BD, IBD & Consultancy Wing), NTPC Ltd., discussed the integration of AI and ML to enhance plant efficiency. The event also witnessed the presence and participation in sessions from Shri. Ayush Sinhal, CEO, Kimbal Technologies; Dr. Ravi Birajdar, Vice President & Head, Special Projects Business, Kirloskar Brothers Limited; Shri Rajesh K Mediratta, MD & CEO, India Gas Exchange; shri Sumit Kishore, ED, (BD & E&P), GAIL (India) Ltd.

As the event approached its final day, discussions focused on “Balancing the Future Energy Mix.” The Leadership Panel 3, featured insights from dignitaries such as Shri. Rohit Bajaj, Joint MD, Indian Energy Exchange; Shri Tarun Katiyar, CEO, Tata Power Trading, who shared thoughts around the evolving trends required for navigating the dynamics of tomorrow’s electricity markets. Key targets were also discussed, including India’s goal to become energy independent by 2047 and achieving the 500 GW renewable energy target by 2030, which requires adding 50 GW of renewable capacity each year. It also had a mention of the Prime Minister’s SURYAGHAR YOJNA, under which, India aims to install rooftop solar panels in 1 crore households. Additionally, it was highlighted that 120 GW of solar capacity is needed to power the agricultural sector, amid an 8% surge in national energy demand. Panelists also emphasized the importance of land availability and transmission infrastructure in achieving these goals.

The final session reviewed two panels, “Emission Control Norms and the Roadmap to Compliance and Women Leaders on the Future of Power.” Keynotes in the first included Shri Pankaj Kumar Gupta, General Manager, NTPC Ltd; Mr. Mads Kirk Larsen, Global Manager, FLSmidth, and Shri Abhishek Ranjan, Partner, EY Parthenon among others, who discussed the regulatory framework and strategies for achieving India’s ambitious emissions targets. The women leadership panel brought forward the perspectives of Ms. Karuna Gopal, Independent Director, Engineers India Ltd. Under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, GOI and Ms. Abhilasha Gaur, CEO, Electronics Sector Skills Council of India.

Adding to the momentum of sustainability, a significant milestone was achieved when San International, a leading garment exporter, signed an MOU with CBR Energy, one of the exhibitors at POWERGEN India 2024. This partnership aims to turn San International’s manufacturing facility 100% green, further underlining the event’s commitment to advancing clean energy transition.
As the curtains close on this landmark event, POWERGEN India 2024 has reinforced its role as a premier platform for energy innovation and collaboration, setting the stage for continued progress in India’s energy transition.