AI–Renewable Push Must Cut Power Bills, Says MNRE Official

India’s clean energy transition could see a major boost from artificial intelligence (AI), but its true success will ultimately be measured by one outcome — lower electricity costs for consumers, according to a senior official from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Speaking at a recent industry forum on AI and energy convergence, MNRE Joint Secretary JVN Subrahmanyam highlighted that integrating AI with renewable energy systems can significantly enhance efficiency across generation, transmission, and distribution networks. However, he emphasized that technological advancement must translate into tangible economic benefits for households and businesses.

AI-driven tools are increasingly being deployed to improve forecasting accuracy for solar and wind generation, optimize battery storage dispatch, enhance grid stability, and reduce technical losses. In distributed renewable energy (DRE) systems, particularly rooftop solar and decentralized microgrids, AI can support real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and smarter load management — lowering operational costs over time.

The convergence is particularly relevant as India accelerates renewable capacity additions while managing grid variability and rising power demand from digital infrastructure and electric mobility. By enabling better asset utilization and minimizing inefficiencies, AI has the potential to reduce balancing costs and improve overall system reliability.

Industry experts note that AI-backed grid optimization could also help discoms manage peak demand more effectively, limiting the need for expensive short-term power purchases.

As India expands solar and wind capacity at scale, the integration of AI into renewable infrastructure is emerging as a critical enabler — not just for operational excellence, but for delivering affordable, reliable clean energy to end consumers.