Over the following 5 years, applied sciences resembling vitality storage and inexperienced hydrogen will basically reshape India’s renewable vitality ecosystem, mentioned an govt.
“Storage is a game-changer in coping with intermittent points, enabling renewable vitality to supply a steady and deliverable energy provide. We’re already seeing hybrid tasks and battery-backed options offering greater than 4 hours of dependable provide, which is vital as industrial and business demand will increase,” Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Co-Founder and Chairman of Sustainability at ReNew Vitality, mentioned in an interview.
“Inexperienced hydrogen will play an equally transformative position in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, particularly metal, cement, fertilizers and heavy transport,” she mentioned.
Because the Nationwide Inexperienced Hydrogen Mission targets manufacturing of 5 million tonnes by 2030, supported by devoted renewable capability, prices will come down considerably as electrolyser manufacturing scales up and renewable energy turns into extra aggressive, he mentioned.
“The mixture of storage and inexperienced hydrogen will transfer renewable vitality from being perceived as variable to a baseload various, enabling 24-hour clear energy. It will considerably improve grid stability, vitality safety, and India’s international competitiveness in clear vitality manufacturing and exports,” Sinha added.
He mentioned India’s plan to succeed in 500 GW of non-fossil energy technology capability by 2030 would require an funding of round Rs 30 billion, and mentioned funds will likely be mobilized via inexperienced bonds, blended finance buildings and multilateral participation, with rising curiosity from international traders looking for long-term and steady returns.
“We’re additionally seeing rising momentum round financing options for hybrid and storage-powered tasks that scale back danger and enhance bankability, particularly for industrial and business off-takers looking for 24-hour clear energy,” she mentioned.
“Investing in inexperienced vitality corridors, transmission upgrades, and battery storage techniques will likely be key from a grid integration perspective. Mechanisms resembling time-of-day tariffs, RTC energy contracts, and demand flexibility instruments will assist soak up giant quantities of renewable vitality with minimal curtailment. Collectively, these developments will strengthen grid resilience and help job creation, emissions reductions, and sustainable progress throughout India’s energy sector,” he added.
ReNew entered the photo voltaic photovoltaic manufacturing house in 2023 and has elevated its module and cell manufacturing capability over the previous two years, however is now planning to increase into wafer manufacturing. Andhra Pradesh plans to arrange a 6GW PV ingot and wafer fabrication facility, amongst different clear vitality tasks.
“We’ve got a module manufacturing capability of 6.5 GW in Jaipur, Rajasthan, and a cell manufacturing capability of two.5 GW in Dholera, Gujarat, which we purpose to increase to six.5 GW by subsequent yr. We additionally secured a $100 million funding from UK Worldwide Funding this yr to arrange a brand new state-of-the-art TOPCon cell facility in Dholera,” Sinha mentioned.
“The federal government plans to cease wafer imports by 2028 and we have to ramp up wafer manufacturing within the nation, in order that can also be an space we’re . We’re working with Andhra Pradesh and others to arrange a 6GW PV ingot and wafer fabrication facility, amongst different clear vitality tasks,” she added.
“Given the expansion trajectory of India’s photo voltaic PV manufacturing sector, we anticipate that within the subsequent 4 to 5 years, India would be the solely nation outdoors of China to have a completely home photo voltaic PV manufacturing chain, positioning us as a serious various provider globally,” he underlined.
He mentioned sustainability has at all times been on the core of ReNew’s function and its ESG initiatives are designed to create an affect past clear energy technology. He mentioned the corporate has to date positively impacted the lives of greater than 1.7 million folks via its ReNew India Initiative, and its CSR spend in FY25 reached round Rs 32 billion, together with Rs 131 billion earmarked for environmental programmes.
“Our interventions concentrate on climate-resilient livelihoods, training, abilities and inclusive growth within the communities during which we function. Initiatives resembling women-led manufacturing traces and focused applications to enhance gender illustration mirror our dedication to inclusive progress,” she mentioned.
“Robust governance underpins all of our sustainability efforts, supported by sturdy disclosures and board-level ESG oversight. That is mirrored in our rating of 84 on the S&P International Company Sustainability Ranking, the best ever for an India-based vitality firm. It’s yet one more testomony to ReNew’s management as a world sustainability pioneer shaping the way forward for clear vitality with our prospects. It is usually the primary time that an India-based vitality firm has handed the worldwide sustainability evaluation, attaining an 80-point mark on one of many world’s most revered ESG benchmarks,” she added.
On gender variety and inclusion, she mentioned these are seen not solely as a social crucial, but in addition as strategic enablers of innovation, efficiency and sustainable progress.
“ReNew’s most up-to-date disclosures present that the corporate has achieved roughly 16% total gender variety, with girls holding 40% of board positions, 12% of STEM roles, and roughly 17% of administration positions, which is important progress in an trade that has traditionally been underrepresented by girls,” she mentioned.
“Past these indicators, ReNew has set ahead targets to additional enhance girls’s participation, together with a goal of 30% girls within the workforce by 2030, and strengthened institutional mechanisms resembling a variety and inclusion council, a proper gender pay fairness coverage, and a structured method to recruitment, abilities growth and management pathways for ladies,” Sinha mentioned.
“Initiatives resembling Energy of W, which focuses on attracting, retaining and growing feminine expertise, together with anti-discrimination and POSH insurance policies, mirror a holistic effort to embed equality and security into our office tradition,” she mentioned.
“For ReNew, advancing gender variety is inherently tied to constructing a resilient and future-ready clear vitality workforce, and as firms and India’s renewable vitality sector expands, various views will assist drive innovation, stronger governance, and optimistic social affect,” she added.
