The International Solar Festival 2024 featured a pivotal Leadership Panel on “India’s Enhanced Role in North-South Partnership for Faster Solar Energy Transition,” organized by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in collaboration with the Becquerel Institute. The panel, part of the Private Sector Pavilion, brought together solar industry experts, policymakers, and business leaders to discuss India’s significant contributions to advancing global solar energy adoption.
Mr. Vivek Kumar Dewangan, Chairman and Managing Director of REC Ltd, opened the session by highlighting India’s impressive progress in renewable energy, with a 250 percent increase in capacity between 2014 and 2021. India now ranks as the world’s fourth-largest renewable energy producer. Dewangan also emphasized the ambitious plan to install one crore rooftop solar systems in the next two to three years, led by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, with REC Ltd designated as the national implementation agency.
The panelists addressed various aspects of India’s solar strategy, including expansion of renewable energy generation, energy efficiency investments, and green hydrogen storage solutions. Despite progress, challenges remain, particularly in the transmission network. Mr. Deepak Kumar Nayak, Business Head of Solar EPC at L&T, stressed the need to enhance transmission and distribution networks to meet future targets.
Mr. Rishi Maggon, Assistant Vice President of Projects at Tata Projects Ltd, underscored the importance of scaling up solar infrastructure while ensuring longevity and durability of assets. Meanwhile, Mr. Amit Sengupta, Vice President of Finance at Avaada Group, noted India’s potential to lead the global south in renewable energy projects due to its extensive experience and favorable geography.
Ms. Chetna Sharma Baranwal, Vice President & Head of New Initiatives and Sustainability at Indus Towers Ltd, emphasized the necessity of organizational commitment to achieving net-zero targets and acknowledged the mature state of solar technology. She also pointed out energy storage as a significant challenge, suggesting that affordable storage solutions could revolutionize the sector.
Mr. Surinder Makhija, Vice President and Senior Strategic Advisor at Jain Irrigation Services Ltd, highlighted energy storage as a critical area needing innovation, with a focus on pumped storage solutions.
Moderated by Mr. Ajay Shankar, Distinguished Fellow at TERI, the panel celebrated India’s solar success story, noting the country’s achievement of its 20,000 MW target and its potential to reach net-zero emissions by 2070. Shankar described India’s solar journey as extraordinary and pivotal in driving the global transition to renewable energy.
The Becquerel Institute, in collaboration with the ISA, continues to enhance the global solar supply chain, focusing on local PV manufacturing and integrated PV development to support market expansion and local industry growth.
The International Solar Festival 2024, organized by the International Solar Alliance (ISA), showcased innovative solutions and partnerships aimed at achieving universal energy access and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
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