India’s ambitious journey towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 received a significant boost as key players in the energy industry converged at the Economic Times India Net Zero Forum 2023.
This landmark event served as a platform for some of the brightest minds in the global and domestic energy sectors to discuss critical issues and innovative ideas that will propel the clean energy industry towards unprecedented growth.
Hosted by The Economic Times and organized by ETEnergyworld in collaboration with industry giants like Hitachi Energy, REC, Brookfield Properties, Swelect, Longi, Gautam Solar, AWS, Enfinity Global, NHPC, THDC, NLC India, and StepChange, the summit brought together luminaries from various sectors.
The inaugural session featured insights from distinguished speakers, including R P Gupta, CMD of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI); Alok Kumar, Former Secretary of the Ministry of Power; Vibha Dhawan, Director-General of TERI; and Neha Verma, Director at the Ministry of Steel. Their collective wisdom set the stage for a day of profound discussions.
A crucial panel discussion focused on India’s ambitious target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. Participants included Ashok Kumar, Deputy DG at the Bureau of Energy Efficiency; C Laxma Reddy, ED (Exploration) at ONGC; Ajeya Bandyopadhyay, South-Asia Lead at Climate Change Advisory, Manufacturing, Agribusiness & Services, IFC; and K Mohan Reddy, Director of Planning & Projects at NLC India. Their deliberations shed light on the challenges and opportunities ahead.
A fireside chat between Venu Nuguri, MD and CEO – India & South Asia at Hitachi Energy, and Sudheer Pal Singh, Editor at ETEnergyworld, explored the role of green credits in India’s sustainable future. Subsequently, a panel discussion on India’s Green Credit Program featured insights from industry leaders, including Vibhuti Garg, Director – South Asia at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis; Prarthana Borah, Country Director at CDP India; Ravneet Mann, Chief Strategy Officer at Stride Ventures; and Alok Verma, Senior Vice President – Business Development at Enfinity Global.
The event also addressed the growing importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in India. Panelists, including Sambitosh Mohapatra, Partner and ESG Leader at PwC India; Ashok Haldia, Chairman of IIPA and Former Secretary of ICAI; Dev Tripathy, Director – Finance at Philips India; Thomas Blood, Sustainability Leader – EMEA at Amazon Web Services (AWS); and Nataraj S, Senior AVP – (RE Projects) at SWELECT Energy Systems, discussed how ESG practices are shaping India’s corporate landscape.
Decarbonization emerged as a pivotal theme, with discussions led by esteemed panelists, including Vikas Gaba, Partner and Lead – Power & Utilities at KPMG India; R K Tyagi, Director (Operations) at Power Grid; M K Srivastava, ED (Engineering) at NTPC; Sachin Sharma, Chairman of the Indian Green Building Council, UP Chapter; and Suman Jagdev, Partner at Xynteo. Their insights highlighted the imperative of reducing carbon emissions across industries.
The forum also explored strategies for decarbonizing the metals, mining, and transport sectors. Kapil Bansal, Partner – Energy Transition & Decarbonization at EY India; Ashish Kundra, Principal Secretary cum Commissioner, Transport, Government of NCT of Delhi; Prabodha Acharya, Group Chief Sustainability Officer at JSW Group; Prashant K Banerjee, Chief Executive Director at SIAM; and Mayur Karmarkar, Managing Director at the International Copper Association, shared their visions for a sustainable future in these critical areas.
