Experts highlight the progress, challenges, and strategies to scale up renewable energy in India, focusing on solar and wind power as key drivers of the energy transition

India’s renewable energy sector has achieved a combined installed capacity of 199.52 GW, with 47.19 GW from wind power and 89.43 GW from solar power. However, despite this progress, industry experts warn that scaling up these capacities faces challenges due to state-level policy inconsistencies and infrastructure gaps.

During a panel discussion on “Renewable Revolution: Scaling Up Solar and Wind Power,” industry leaders shared their views on India’s renewable energy journey. Chhavi Agarwal, Head of Investor Relations & ESG at Exide, expressed concerns over inconsistent support across states, stating, “There has been a lot of government support, but renewables remain a state subject. While central government efforts are commendable, state-level implementation is often divergent.”

Somesh Kumar, Partner & Leader, Power & Utilities at EY India, emphasized the significant work in solar energy, noting, “In recent years, large-scale ground-mounted solar projects have emerged, and various policies have enabled open access to power.”

Sindhu Sharma, Head of ESG at Nxtra by Airtel, highlighted the regulatory push from both state and central governments. “In the last two to three years, we’ve seen considerable efforts to bring new regulations for CNI consumers like us. We now have options to source power through interstate and intrastate channels, and battery storage solutions are available.”

V. Ravindra Babu, GM-Projects & Engineering at Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, focused on the importance of hybrid wind and solar models. “The wind and solar hybrid model offers a solution to the intermittency challenge by ensuring around-the-clock power generation. This has the potential to cover up to 80 per cent of our energy needs.”

Paneesh Rao, Chief Sustainability Officer at LTIMindtree, stressed the need for stronger infrastructure and state adoption of renewable energy. “We aim to use 80 per cent renewable energy, but intermittency and the lack of infrastructure remain hurdles. Organizations like Exide help with energy storage, but the broader ecosystem needs to improve.”

The discussion underscored the importance of coordinated efforts from both government and industry to accelerate renewable energy adoption. The event was part of the BW Sustainable World Conclave 2024.