DEV Community: Ratul Puri

“Doing Solar Without Battery Makes Limited Sense”, Says Ratul Puri, Chairman, Hindustan Power

Ratul Puri — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:24:01 +0000

_“I’m a strong believer in distributed generation. India is blessed with a high degree of solar radiation across most of the country. The idea of building solar entirely in Gujarat or Rajasthan and then building long transmission lines to take that power to the point of consumption doesn’t make sense in the long run.”
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Ratul Puri, Chairman of Hindustan Power, believes India’s clean energy transition now hinges less on generation capacity and more on building the supporting ecosystem. In this conversation with BW Businessworld, he discusses why battery storage is becoming indispensable to renewable energy, the case for distributed generation, the rationale behind domestic manufacturing policies such as ALMM, the impact of AI-driven power demand, and the policy reforms needed to accelerate India’s energy transition while ensuring long-term investor confidence.

Battery storage in India has gained a lot of attention recently in the solar conversation. We have states like Rajasthan scaling aggressively. Does storage finally make commercial sense in India, or are the economics still dependent on policy support?
I think eventually battery is crucial, it’s the key that opens the renewable chain, it’s the key that will unlock the opportunity that exists within renewables. Doing solar without battery makes limited sense for India. Today, when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing, we are effectively firing up thermal power plants. Those plants are backed down during the day and brought back whenever there is lower solar or wind generation. We also have an evening peak, which means we are building thermal capacity to service that demand while backing it down during solar hours. That significantly adds to the overall cost of the grid. Storage is vital, and I believe India needs to push storage even if it appears uneconomical today. It is certainly more economical than building a new coal-fired power plant, a new coal mine, the rail infrastructure between the two and the transmission infrastructure, only to back that capacity down for several hours every day.

Storage will be the most significant investment India can make over the next five to ten years to enable the energy transition. Electricity is the future of energy, and we are seeing demand rise across residential, industrial, commercial, transportation and data centres. Without storage, solar and wind, I don’t think India can meet the aspirations of its 1.4 billion people. Storage is still expensive, but costs have come down sharply over the last two years. Battery costs have fallen by more than 60 per cent, while overall system costs have declined by around 35–40 per cent. We now need to create scale and learning capability, just as we did with solar, and eventually build domestic manufacturing. The West Asia conflict has shown us that for something as vital as electricity and energy, we need domestic supply chains.

Today, storage is viable for time-shifting energy. It is certainly cheaper to do that using batteries than by building a coal-fired power plant and backing it down during solar hours. Coal-fired power is still cheaper than solar plus battery, but if the choice is between a thermal plant that sleeps during the day and wakes up at night versus solar plus battery, then solar plus battery is the better combination.

When we talk about solar and even wind, there is increasing discussion that India is running out of commercially viable solar land — not just wastelands, but land that actually makes economic sense. Has land availability become the next major bottleneck for renewable energy growth?
I don’t believe so. Firstly, I’m a strong believer in distributed generation. India is blessed with a high degree of solar radiation across most of the country. The idea of building solar entirely in Gujarat or Rajasthan and then building long transmission lines to take that power to the point of consumption doesn’t make sense in the long run. Today, the government has effectively socialised the cost of transmission, but that’s not sustainable forever. Eventually, market economics have to come into play. If you look at the real delivered cost of energy, rather than just the cost of land, distributed generation across states makes much more sense.

There is sufficient non-productive, non-irrigated land available in every state that can deliver lower-cost energy than building solar only in Rajasthan and transmitting it across the country. Yes, land may be cheaper and easier to acquire there, but once you factor in transmission costs, local generation can be more economical. I don’t believe land is running out. Land acquisition in India is certainly a challenge because of land records, litigation and disputes, but that’s part of the developer’s job. A developer has to identify the right combination of sunlight, land and grid connectivity. That’s where value creation lies.

People often say you could generate enough energy for the world from a relatively small area in the Sahara Desert. While that may be true in theory, you still have to transmit that electricity to where it is needed. The same principle applies within India. You can live with slightly lower solar radiation or somewhat higher land costs if you’re saving substantially on transmission. I believe there is enough barren or low-productivity land across states to support India’s renewable energy ambitions. The focus should be on delivering the lowest-cost energy to consumers, and in many cases that means generating power closer to where it will be consumed.

India recently strengthened the ALMM policy to boost domestic manufacturing, but developers have spoken about higher costs and supply disruptions. Has the policy delivered more benefits than challenges so far?
I think if, as a nation, we want to build domestic capacity and domestic supply chains, we have to encourage domestic manufacturing. ALMM and domestic content requirements are an important part of that. Every industry needs some time to stand on its own feet. If you protect domestic industry for a period, you will see capacity coming in. If you look at module manufacturing, India has built very large manufacturing capacity in a short span of time — probably the second or third largest in the world by all accounts. That has happened because of positive policy support from the government. You need to handhold industry, give it a runway to achieve scale and become competitive with China and other global manufacturers.

Now the government is stepping further back in the value chain, and I think that’s the right approach. Are there challenges? Absolutely. Today, sufficient cell manufacturing capacity does not exist in the country. Developers with large project pipelines are finding it difficult to secure cells, and the entire supply chain is under pressure. But that’s how markets work. Manufacturers who invested early in cell capacity are benefiting today because they took the investment risk. Domestic cell prices have risen sharply, creating enough profit incentive for more companies to invest. I believe that within the next year and a half to two years, significant additional cell manufacturing capacity will come up.

Yes, this has been a challenge for developers and it could slow the pace of solar capacity addition in the near term. But in the long run, it will drive investment in domestic cell manufacturing, and that’s good for India. We want to build cost-competitive domestic supply chains, but we have to handhold our own industry for some time. It cannot be never-ending protection. You have to let the industry grow, gain experience and then compete globally on its own. That’s why I believe the policy has been positive for India, even though it has undoubtedly created short-term challenges for developers.

When we talk about energy consumption, one of the biggest expected demand drivers is artificial intelligence, data centres and industrial electrification. Is India’s renewable and grid infrastructure ready for this next phase of demand growth?
I think AI is real. It’s clear that it’s happening. As a nation, we have a great opportunity because one of the biggest bottlenecks in creating data centre capacity anywhere in the world is the availability of electricity. Eventually, AI comes down to processing power, energy and algorithms. Of those, the two real bottlenecks are GPU capacity and energy. India has an opportunity to attract a significant amount of data centre and compute capacity because intelligence is moving closer to the edge. As inference-related computing grows, capacity will move closer to where consumers are. At the same time, creating new capacity in markets like the US, Europe and Japan is becoming increasingly difficult. That creates an opportunity for India.

Is the grid a bottleneck? Yes, it is. But the grid is also being built out. In fact, these transmission constraints should encourage more distributed renewable generation. If you’re setting up a large data centre in Maharashtra or Andhra Pradesh, you would want a local supply chain and generation capacity located nearby rather than depending on power transmitted over long distances. In the longer term, you’re better off having the solar plant closer to the load centre than relying on transmission lines that operate at only around a 20–23 per cent plant load factor and remain underutilised for much of the time. I believe these bottlenecks will eventually get addressed because demand itself will drive investment. As data centres expand, they will encourage the creation of local renewable generation and strengthen regional power infrastructure. That’s the direction India should move towards.

Renewable energy tariffs have become increasingly aggressive in recent auctions. Is the industry prioritising growth over profitability, and does that pose a long-term risk for the sector?
Certainly, competition is intense. Generally, tariffs today are not remunerative on a risk-adjusted basis. At the same time, there is a significant amount of global capital looking to fund the energy transition, and some of that capital is finding its way to India. That’s one of the reasons we’ve seen such a large build-out of solar capacity over the last five years. I do believe that, in this phase of growth, developers are pricing projects too aggressively without factoring in all the risks. The cycle won’t always remain favourable. Today, you have ALMM changes, supply constraints, rupee-dollar fluctuations, higher shipping costs and overall inflation. I don’t think many developers fully built these factors into their calculations. While you can’t predict every event, such as geopolitical disruptions, you would normally factor in exchange rate movements and inflation while bidding.

We’ve seen similar cycles in transmission and thermal power. Developers bid aggressively, returns don’t materialise, and eventually the sector consolidates. The financially disciplined developers emerge stronger because they haven’t taken risks without adequately pricing them. I don’t know if there’s a simple solution because you still need a competitive bidding process. Perhaps there is a need to strengthen the implementation framework, particularly the penalties for projects that are not executed. That may encourage developers to build a more realistic assessment of risk into their bids.

If there was one policy intervention the government could implement over the next two years to materially accelerate India’s clean energy transition, what would it be and why?
I don’t think this applies only to clean energy. It applies to building India’s infrastructure overall. Stability of policy is a crucial aspect. It is the government’s job to make policy interventions and change policy when required, but I believe there is a need to make those interventions less frequent. We need a longer horizon when it comes to policy, along with a proper grandfathering period. If the government decides to change a policy, it should announce it today but make it effective three or five years later. That gives developers and investors enough time to plan for the change instead of having to react immediately.

The second issue is dispute resolution. India needs to address the time it takes to settle commercial disputes. This is particularly important in the energy sector. We created separate regulatory bodies and dispute resolution mechanisms through the State Electricity Regulatory Commissions, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Appellate Tribunal, but there are still significant bottlenecks in these forums. I think India needs to improve dispute resolution across the board — both in the courts and within the regulatory system. Policy stability and faster dispute resolution go hand in hand. Both reduce risk for investors, and lower investor risk ultimately translates into lower tariffs and makes India more cost competitive.

About Ratul Puri:-

Ratul Puri is the Chairman of Hindustan Power, an integrated power generation company with a strong presence in renewable and transitional energy generation. Over the years, Ratul Puri has been involved in the development of large-scale energy infrastructure projects that support India’s growing power requirements and its transition toward cleaner energy sources.

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https://www.businessworld.in/article/doing-solar-without-battery-makes-limited-sense-says-ratul-puri-chairman-hindustan-power-613246

Ratul Puri on Renewable Energy, Battery Storage and India's Evolving Power Sector

Ratul Puri — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 08:19:25 +0000

Ratul Puri shares insights on renewable energy, battery storage and the technologies shaping India’s energy transition and future power needs.
Renewable energy growth, battery storage systems and grid reliability are becoming increasingly important for meeting India’s future energy needs, according to Ratul Puri.

India’s power sector is undergoing a significant transformation as rising electricity demand from manufacturing, digital infrastructure, data centres and emerging industries coincide with the country’s expanding renewable energy ambitions. This evolving demand profile is increasing the importance of reliable power delivery, energy storage and grid flexibility across the sector.
According to Ratul Puri, Chairman of Hindustan Power, the future of the sector will be shaped not only by renewable energy generation but also by the ability to deliver power reliably and efficiently. As electricity demand continues to grow, storage, transmission infrastructure and grid resilience are becoming increasingly important components of India’s energy transition.

Building on Early Renewable Energy Projects

Hindustan Power has been contributing to India’s renewable energy sector since its early days. The company developed India’s first 5 MW solar power project in 2010 and Asia’s first 30 MW solar PV project in 2011, at a time when utility-scale solar was still emerging as a viable source of electricity generation.
These projects demonstrated the growing potential of renewable energy and provided valuable insights into developing, financing and operating large-scale clean energy infrastructure. They also highlighted the importance of adapting to changing technologies, evolving customer requirements and increasingly complex power systems.
This experience has helped shape the company’s current approach. Beyond renewable energy generation, the focus is increasingly on developing integrated energy systems that combine generation, storage, flexibility and reliability to support changing market requirements.

Opportunities in India’s Energy Transition India’s energy

transition presents significant opportunities as economic activities continue to expand and electricity demand rises across industries, manufacturing facilities and digital infrastructure.
According to Ratul Puri, the opportunity extends beyond renewable energy capacity additions. Energy developers are also contributing to energy security by supporting grid reliability, improving efficiency and helping build infrastructure capable of meeting future demand.

The growing requirement for clean and dependable electricity from sectors such as manufacturing, data centres and digital infrastructure is expected to create further opportunities for companies capable of delivering reliable energy solutions at scale.

Why Battery Energy Storage Is Becoming Important

Battery energy storage is becoming an increasingly important component of India’s power sector. As renewable energy capacity continues to expand, storage systems help balance electricity supply and demand while supporting greater grid stability and flexibility.
Battery storage also supports grid balancing, frequency management and peak-load optimisation, making it an increasingly important component of modern power systems as renewable energy penetration continues to rise.

Ratul Puri views storage as an important link between renewable energy generation and reliable power delivery. Battery systems can help reduce curtailment, manage peak demand and support the delivery of clean power when it is needed most.
Recognising this requirement, Hindustan Power has expanded its battery energy storage portfolio across multiple states. The company’s investments reflect its view that solar-plus-storage solutions will play an increasingly important role in delivering reliable and flexible clean energy while supporting long-term grid stability.

Balancing Reliability, Affordability and Sustainability

As India’s energy sector evolves, reliability, affordability and sustainability must advance together. Long-term success will depend on maintaining a balance between these priorities while ensuring that electricity remains accessible and dependable.
Meeting rising electricity demand requires a combination of renewable energy, storage technologies and supporting infrastructure that can provide reliable power while maintaining cost competitiveness.

This balanced approach is becoming increasingly important as India continues to expand its industrial base, strengthen energy security and support sustained economic growth.

The Role of Technology and Innovation

Technology continues to influence the way energy is generated, stored and delivered. Advancements in battery storage, solar-plus-storage solutions, digital asset management and operational optimisation systems are helping improve efficiency across the power sector.
According to Ratul Puri, the industry is steadily moving beyond standalone generation assets towards integrated energy systems capable of delivering cleaner, reliable and more flexible power.
Digital monitoring tools, predictive maintenance technologies and advanced operational systems are also helping improve the performance and reliability of energy infrastructure, supporting better utilisation of assets and improved operational efficiency.
As electricity demand continues to increase, these technologies are expected to play a larger role in supporting efficient and dependable power delivery.

Supporting India’s Growing Power Requirements

While renewable energy and storage are becoming increasingly important, dependable long-duration power supply remains essential for supporting industrial growth and rising electricity consumption.
Reflecting this requirement, Hindustan Power recently signed a 25-year Power Supply Agreement with MP Power Management Company for the supply of 800 MW from its upcoming Anuppur project. The agreement supports the long-term power requirements of Madhya Pradesh while contributing to energy security and economic development.
For Ratul Puri, projects of this nature demonstrate the importance of maintaining a balanced energy mix capable of supporting India’s growing electricity needs as the economy continues to expand.
The project also reflects the broader view that renewable energy growth, storage solutions and dependable power infrastructure must work together to support future demand.
India’s power sector is entering a new phase where renewable energy, battery storage and reliable power infrastructure will all play important roles. As electricity demand continues to rise, the focus is increasingly shifting towards solutions that combine sustainability, reliability and affordability.
Through investments across renewable energy, battery storage and large-scale power infrastructure, Hindustan Power continues to expand its presence across the sector. The company’s approach reflects the growing importance of integrated energy systems that can support India’s evolving power requirements.
For Ratul Puri, the focus remains on developing energy infrastructure that can support long-term economic growth while contributing to a more reliable, resilient and sustainable energy future.

About Ratul Puri:

About Hindustan Power:

Hindustan Power is an integrated power generation company with a presence across renewable and transitional energy assets. The company continues to invest in energy infrastructure that supports reliability, sustainability and long-term value creation within India’s evolving power sector.

Ratul Puri Charts a Decisive Pivot in India’s Energy Transition

Ratul Puri — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:16:49 +0000

Ratul Puri has spent the years following his 2016 appearance at Davos building a practical, execution-heavy path in the Indian power sector. This transition focuses on the technical work required to stabilize the national grid through a “Solar India 2.0” vision. The objective is to treat clean energy as an engineering challenge, moving from intermittent generation towards providing stable, 24/7 power. A major part of this strategy involves Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). By integrating large-scale storage with solar generation, the aim is to ensure renewable energy is as reliable and dispatchable as conventional power. This approach addresses the fundamental issue of solar availability, making it a more viable long-term alternative for the grid.

The impact of this shift is reflected in several projects secured between late 2025 and early 2026. This includes a contract from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for a project featuring 300 MWp of solar and 360 MWh of storage.

Other developments during this period involve a 100 MW solar project with 200 MWh of storage from SJVN, a 120 MWh standalone storage project in Bihar, and the commencement of a 435 MWp solar project in Uttar Pradesh. These initiatives are part of a broader target to reach a 5 GW energy portfolio by 2028.

Regional partnerships have also been established to address specific state requirements, particularly in Assam. In early 2026, a Power Supply Agreement was signed to deliver 130 MW to the state, alongside a ₹620-crore MoU for a 100 MW solar plant integrated with battery storage.

The focus on these tangible assets reflects a shift towards long-term delivery. By centering on the practical mechanics of the grid rather than the visibility of global forums, Ratul Puri is anchoring his efforts in the work needed to secure India’s energy future. This move towards storage-led infrastructure signals a commitment to the physical reality of a clean energy transition.

*About Ratul Puri: *

Ratul Puri is the Chairman of Hindustan Power, an integrated power generation company with a strong presence in renewable and transitional energy. Over the years, he has been involved in the development of large-scale energy infrastructure projects that support India’s growing power requirements and its transition toward cleaner energy sources.

Ratul Puri on Renewable Energy, Battery Storage and India’s Evolving Power Sector

Ratul Puri — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:56:52 +0000

India’s energy sector is changing as the country balances growing electricity demand with its sustainability goals. Industrial growth, manufacturing expansion, digital infrastructure and data centres are increasing the need for reliable power, while renewable energy continues to play a larger role in the energy mix.

According to Ratul Puri, Chairman of Hindustan Power, the future of the sector will be shaped not only by renewable energy generation but also by the ability to deliver power reliably and efficiently. As energy demand grows, storage, flexibility and grid stability are becoming increasingly important.

Building on Early Renewable Energy Projects

Hindustan Power has been part of India’s renewable energy sector since its early stages. The company developed India’s first 5 MW solar power project in 2010 and Asia’s first 30 MW solar PV project in 2011. These projects helped demonstrate that large-scale renewable energy could be commercially viable while contributing to the country’s growing power requirements.

Ratul Puri believes that these early projects provided valuable experience in developing, financing and operating large clean energy assets. More importantly, they highlighted the importance of adapting to changing technologies, evolving customer requirements and increasingly complex grid systems.

This experience has shaped the company’s current approach. Rather than focusing only on renewable energy capacity, Hindustan Power is increasingly focused on energy systems that combine generation, storage, flexibility and reliability.

Opportunities in India’s Energy Transition

India’s energy transition presents significant opportunities for renewable energy developers. As economic activity expands and electricity demand rises across industries, manufacturing facilities and digital infrastructure, the need for dependable and sustainable power solutions continues to grow.

According to Ratul Puri, the opportunity extends beyond adding renewable energy capacity. Energy developers are also helping strengthen energy security by supporting grid reliability, improving efficiency and reducing dependence on imported fuels.

The growing demand for clean electricity from sectors such as manufacturing, data centres and digital infrastructure is expected to create further opportunities for companies that can deliver reliable energy solutions at scale.

Why Battery Energy Storage Is Becoming Important

Battery energy storage is becoming an increasingly important part of India’s energy sector. As renewable energy capacity continues to grow, storage systems help balance electricity supply and demand while supporting grid stability.

Recognising this need, Hindustan Power has expanded its battery energy storage portfolio across multiple states. The company’s investments reflect its view that solar-plus-storage solutions will play an increasingly important role in delivering reliable and flexible clean energy.

Balancing Reliability, Affordability and Sustainability

As India’s energy sector evolves, reliability, affordability and sustainability must work together. Ratul Puri believes that long-term success depends on maintaining a balance between these priorities rather than focusing on one objective alone.

Meeting rising electricity demand requires a combination of renewable energy, storage technologies and supporting infrastructure that can ensure dependable power supply while keeping costs competitive.

This approach is particularly important as India continues to expand its industrial base, strengthen energy security and support economic growth.

The Role of Technology and Innovation

Technology continues to influence the way energy is generated, stored and delivered. Developments in battery storage, solar-plus-storage projects and digital asset management systems are helping improve efficiency across the power sector.

According to Ratul Puri, the industry is moving beyond standalone generation assets towards integrated energy systems that can provide cleaner and more reliable power. Advances in digital optimisation and operational systems are also helping improve the performance of energy infrastructure.

As electricity demand continues to increase, these technologies are expected to play a larger role in supporting efficient and reliable power delivery.

Supporting India’s Growing Power Requirements

Alongside renewable energy expansion, large-scale power infrastructure remains important for meeting the country’s growing electricity needs.

One example is Hindustan Power’s 25-year Power Supply Agreement with MP Power Management Company for supplying 800 MW from its upcoming Anuppur project. Ratul Puri considers the project an important step in supporting long-term electricity demand while contributing to energy security and economic development.

The project also reflects the view that renewable energy growth and dependable power infrastructure must work together as India’s energy requirements continue to increase.

Conclusion

India’s energy sector is entering a new phase where renewable energy, battery storage and reliable power infrastructure will all play important roles. As electricity demand continues to rise, the focus is increasingly shifting towards solutions that combine sustainability, reliability and affordability.

Through its investments in renewable energy, battery storage and large-scale power projects, Hindustan Power continues to expand its presence across the sector. For Ratul Puri, the focus remains on developing energy systems that can support India’s growing power needs while contributing to a more reliable and sustainable energy future.

About Ratul Puri:

Ratul Puri is the Chairman of Hindustan Power, an integrated power generation company with a strong presence in renewable and transitional energy. Over the years, Ratul Puri has been actively involved in developing large-scale energy infrastructure projects that support India’s growing power requirements and its transition toward cleaner energy sources.

About Hindustan Power:

Hindustan Power is a leading integrated power generation company in India with a focus on renewable and transitional energy generation. With a commitment to sustainability and innovation, the company has been an active contributor to India’s energy transformation.

Ratul Puri highlights: How AI can optimise energy consumption and accelerate net-zero transition

Ratul Puri — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:06:16 +0000

AI increases electricity demand through data centres but can improve grid efficiency, cut emissions, boost innovation, and support net-zero goals.

In almost every industry worldwide, artificial intelligence has become ubiquitous, including the energy sector. However, AI itself needs massive amounts of energy to operate its programmes. The training and deployment of AI models requires large, power-guzzling data centres. Without electricity, AI systems cannot function. Yet, AI could potentially transform the energy industry by facilitating a reliable, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity. Ratul Puri, chairman of Hindustan Power, an integrated power generation company with a strong presence in renewable and transitional energy generation, added that “AI will play an important role in making energy systems more efficient and stable in the coming years.”

Paradoxical Relationship Between Electricity and Data Centres

One must understand this link to leverage the benefits of AI and accelerate the journey towards the net-zero target by 2070 or earlier. To begin with, an AI-centric data centre typically consumes electricity that can run 100,000 homes. However, the largest ones being constructed today will require 20 times this amount. Worldwide, investment in data centres has increased sharply in recent years, driven by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital services. This expansion has raised growing concerns about rising electricity demand and the pressure it places on existing power systems. Data centres are already a significant consumer of global electricity and their share is expected to increase further as AI adoption accelerates across industries. At the same time, this surge in demand is pushing governments and energy companies to rethink how power is generated, distributed and managed in a more efficient and sustainable way.

Despite their power-guzzling nature, AI can revolutionise energy consumption and boost grid performance by enabling more efficient, smarter use of electricity. By 2030, smart grid technology and AI-linked energy efficiency are projected to create almost $1.3 trillion in economic value. Moreover, AI could potentially lower global GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by 5 to 10%, equal to the EU’s yearly emissions. Ratul Puri highlighted that “digital technologies can support large-scale emission reduction when applied across energy systems.”

In this scenario, focusing solely on oosting electricity generation will not work. To deliver the requisite energy that AI needs, policymakers should also consider the infrastructure, which will call for more grid investments, while making the overall electricity ecosystem more efficient and flexible.

Again, it is AI that could help transform the energy industry by helping companies optimise exploration, production, safety and maintenance models. By using AI tools judiciously, a huge quantum of electricity transmission capacity can be freed without erecting even one new line. Given the current shortfalls in the industry, a vibrant partnership between public and private players is necessary to achieve this goal. Apart from infrastructure, this includes the objective of building proper digital skills among energy workers. Ratul Puri further added that “technology and skilled manpower must grow together for the energy sector to become future ready.”

Additionally, innovations are needed in the energy industry to surmount current challenges and come up with novel solutions. Here again, AI can assist in driving accelerated innovations in this space. Interestingly, challenges in energy innovation are precisely the type of problems that AI is adept at solving. For instance, barely 0.01% of next-gen solar PV materials have been produced experimentally. Therefore, an immense set of potential materials is yet to be explored. Using AI, scientists could drastically fast-forward the process of discovering and testing prospective materials, carbon capture molecules and battery chemistry. Of course, proper policies are essential to back AI-driven inventions and accelerate commercialisation, which is usually a bigger hurdle for new products rather than the discovery stage.

Surmounting Barriers to Meet Net-Zero Goals

Since energy is one of the most critical and complex segments worldwide, AI must be leveraged fully to capitalise on its tremendous potential and benefits. Widespread AI adoption will require overcoming hurdles such as a lack of adequately skilled workers. Compared to other sectors, the low prevalence of AI-related skills hinders the energy industry. Meanwhile, a decline in computation costs, along with a rise in technical breakthroughs and data availability, is enhancing the capabilities of AI. Simultaneously, electricity consumption in data centres is poised to rise more than 2X, reaching approximately 945 TWh by 2030. This is somewhat higher than Japan’s current overall electricity consumption.

In the interim, electricity grids are under severe pressure in multiple regions. If such issues are unresolved, about one-fifth of the proposed data centre projects would be delayed. As electricity grids grow more complex, digitalised and decentralised, AI can play a pivotal role in balancing these networks. AI can also boost forecasting and integration of variable renewable energy generation while lowering curtailment and emissions. With AI-based fault detection, companies could swiftly and precisely pinpoint grid faults, ensuring 30-50% lower outage durations. AI-based management and remote sensors could enhance transmission line capacities. If these tools are utilised, almost 175 GW of transmission capacity can be unlocked without a single new line being built.

The overall impact of AI on emissions and climate change will be contingent on how AI applications are launched, their relevant business cases and the incentives available, as well as how swiftly regulatory frameworks keep up with the fast-changing AI landscape. In a nutshell, companies and countries that manage these challenges seamlessly will be better placed to optimise their energy resources and move forward steadily towards net-zero targets and timelines.

About Ratul Puri:-

About Hindustan Power:-

Hindustan Power is an integrated power generation company focused on renewable and transitional energy. The company has been actively contributing to India’s energy transformation through the development of solar power and other energy infrastructure projects.

Ratul Puri on India’s Renewable Transition: The Shift from Scale to Execution

Ratul Puri — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 06:59:50 +0000

India has been adding a lot of clean energy capacity over the past few years. Solar farms and wind projects have been coming up across the country at a good pace. But Ratul Puri, chairman of Hindustan Power, says the sector is now moving into a new phase. Less about announcing big numbers and more about making sure projects actually get built and deliver power consistently.

Ratul Puri put it simply: India’s clean energy space is now at a point where it is not just about adding capacity, but making sure that projects are delivered on the ground with a focus on round-the-clock power delivery.

That is a real shift, and it shapes a lot of what is happening in India’s energy space right now.

Getting Projects Done Is Harder Than It Looks
Even as solar and wind capacity has grown, there are on-the-ground challenges that slow things down. Land-related issues, clearances, and other approvals take time and can push project timelines back. They matter more now that the focus is on actual delivery rather than just targets.

Delays in building out transmission lines have also held back a large chunk of capacity already in development. When the grid is not ready to receive the power being produced, nothing can move forward properly. This is something Ratul Puri sees as needing more coordinated attention.

There is also the matter of power sale agreements, which are contracts between energy producers and buyers. Some of these have not been signed yet, which creates uncertainty for developers trying to plan ahead. Getting these agreements in place in a timely way is something Ratul Puri sees as important for keeping projects on track.

Storage: Big Promise, Slow Start
Battery storage is one of the most talked-about areas in energy right now. Being able to store power and release it when needed makes clean energy more useful and consistent. India has seen a lot of interest here, with a large amount of storage capacity put out for bids in 2025.

But Ratul Puri notes that the gap between what has been bid on and what has actually been built is quite wide. A lot of tenders have gone out, but very little has been commissioned so far. He sees this as a sign that the sector is shifting from a phase where winning bids was the goal to one where actually building and running projects is what counts.

As Ratul Puri said, success in this market will now be defined by the ability to execute, not just the ability to bid.

Pricing and Long-Term Thinking
Energy prices in the clean power space have come down a lot, which helps adoption. But lower prices also mean tighter margins, making careful planning and cost management more important over the life of a project.

Ratul Puri has spoken about how even small differences in cost assumptions can have a real impact on whether a project works financially in the long run. Getting those numbers right from the start, and building projects that can hold up over many years, is something developers need to take seriously.

Digital Tools and Smarter Operations
Ratul Puri also touched on the growing role of digital tools. Things like better forecasting and real-time tracking of plant performance are becoming more common, helping operators catch problems early and get more out of their projects.

Ratul Puri described digital solutions as becoming central to how energy operations work, helping teams make better decisions and keep performance strong across projects.

What Comes Next
The story of India’s clean energy sector is still being written. The foundations have been laid, the targets are set, and a lot of projects are in the pipeline. What the next chapter needs, according to Ratul Puri, is a stronger focus on follow-through.

Getting projects across the finish line, managing them well once they are running, and making sure the grid can handle what is being built are the things that will define how far India goes in its clean energy journey. Ratul Puri believes the sector has what it takes to get there.

About Ratul Puri:-

Ratul Puri is the Chairman of Hindustan Power, an integrated power generation company with a strong presence in renewable and transitional energy. Over the years, he has been involved in the development of large-scale energy infrastructure projects that support India’s growing power requirements and its transition toward cleaner energy sources.

About Hindustan Power:-

Hindustan Power is an integrated power generation company focused on renewable and transitional energy. The company has been actively contributing to India’s energy transformation through the development of solar power and other energy infrastructure projects.

Ratul Puri on Powering India’s Next Energy Transition Phase

Ratul Puri — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:04:05 +0000

Ratul Puri believes India has made remarkable progress in expanding its renewable energy capacity. But the easy part is behind us. The real challenge is now underway, which is integrating a larger share of variable renewable power into a grid that was built for stable, dispatchable supplies. The next phase of transition will be defined not by how much solar and wind capacity gets added, but by how effectively the grid absorbs, balances and dispatches that power.

In early 2026, India’s power sector crossed a significant milestone, surpassing the 52% mark in installed capacity from non-fossil fuel sources. The share of actual generation from renewable sources reached nearly 30% in FY2024–25. While encouraging, higher generation brings a distinct set of operational challenges that cannot be ignored.

The first phase was relatively straightforward, driven by rapid capacity addition, falling costs, strong policy support and positive market momentum. Now, as renewable penetration deepens, the system must manage intermittency, demand mismatches and growing balancing requirements.

The Challenges Ahead

A closer look at what Ratul Puri outlines reveals several layers of difficulty. One of the most pressing issues is that generation capacity has outpaced transmission and evacuation capacity. Rajasthan is a clear example. The state has 23 GW of commissioned renewable capacity but can evacuate only 18.9 GW. This means over 4,000 MW of commissioned capacity sits stranded during peak hours. High-capacity double-circuit corridors built to handle around 6,000 MW are frequently running at just 600 to 1,000 MW.

Storage remains another significant barrier. By 2032, India will require approximately 411 GWh of energy storage capacity to maintain grid stability during periods without sunshine. Current deployments of Battery Energy Storage Systems and Pumped Hydro Storage fall far short of what is needed.

Supply chain vulnerabilities add further pressure. India depends heavily on imports of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and rare earths, as well as raw materials needed for manufacturing solar cells and batteries. This dependency leaves the sector exposed to global supply disruptions.

Technology and infrastructure gaps compound the problem. Ratul Puri notes that studies indicate the current grid lacks the capacity to accommodate a higher share of intermittent renewables. Substantial investment in smart grids, energy storage and hydrogen systems will be required to sustain reliability and stability. In areas like hydropower and bioenergy, being a water-scarce nation adds another layer of complexity, requiring sophisticated water management systems.

Financial and policy uncertainties round out the challenges. Since electricity is a concurrent subject in India, both the Centre and states operate under their own specific policies, which can affect how effectively renewable potential is tapped. And while the energy mix spans solar, wind, biomass, hydrogen and hydroelectricity, the vast majority of investment continues to flow into solar alone.

What Ratul Puri Says Needs to Happen

Addressing these constraints calls for a coordinated set of measures. Supply balancing through flexible generation and ancillary services is one important avenue. Better forecasting of both renewable demand and generation will enable more systematic scheduling and improved demand-side management.

The real financial barrier, as Ratul Puri argues, is not the cost of renewables themselves but the investment required to transmit and integrate large volumes of solar and wind power. Even though solar and wind are among the cheapest electricity sources available, sustained investment is essential to modernise the grid while adding the storage and transmission infrastructure needed.

Curtailment practices also need reform. During periods of peak congestion, power curtailments should be distributed proportionately across all generators rather than placing the entire burden on Temporary General Network Access projects. Unused or underutilised grid capacity should be reallocated through real-time, transparent protocols so that available evacuation space is not wasted.

Better coordination between CTUIL and GRID-India is equally important, ensuring that transmission corridors with predetermined capacities translate into actual, usable power evacuation. These steps would bring stranded assets worth billions into productive use.

The Road Ahead

The next growth push for renewable energy, in Ratul Puri’s view, will come from hybrid projects, Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy, round-the-clock solutions, and integrated renewable energy systems rather than standalone capacity additions. Ratul Puri concludes that India’s power transition will ultimately depend far more on system integration than on capacity addition alone.

About Ratul Puri

About Hindustan Power

Ratul Puri: The Future Of Economic Growth Runs On Electricity

Ratul Puri — Fri, 29 May 2026 07:42:32 +0000

Electricity is emerging as a key driver of economic growth, shaping manufacturing, AI infrastructure and industrial investment. Ratul Puri believes India must build affordable, reliable power capacity ahead of demand, modernise grids, expand storage-backed renewables and strengthen infrastructure to gain a long-term competitive edge in the global economy.
For decades, electricity was viewed as a support system for economic growth. Industries expanded, cities developed, consumption increased and power infrastructure quietly grew alongside them. That equation is now changing rapidly. Electricity is no longer operating in the background of economic activity. It is becoming one of the primary drivers of growth itself.
We are entering an era where the availability of affordable and uninterrupted power will increasingly influence where industries invest, where manufacturing capacities are built and where digital infrastructure develops. In many ways, electricity is set to become one of the defining factors of economic competitiveness.
This transition is already visible across sectors. Transportation is moving steadily towards electrification. What was once considered commercially unviable for heavy mobility applications is now beginning to change because of improvements in battery density and operating economics. In several use cases, the lifecycle cost of operating electric heavy vehicles is becoming more competitive than conventional diesel-based systems. Once economics begins to shift decisively, adoption tends to accelerate far quicker than expected.
A similar transformation is unfolding in the AI-led digital infrastructure. Until recently, a large share of energy consumption in artificial intelligence came from model training. The next phase will increasingly be driven by inference and comute moving closer to users and businesses. This requires large-scale data centre infrastructure and far greater availability of dependable electricity. As India's digital economy expands, electricity demand will rise not only in scale but also in complexity.
This is why India must start thinking differently about power infrastructure. For many years, capacity planning has largely remained linked to existing demand projections. In my view, the country now needs to build ahead of demand rather than alongside it. India's per capita electricity consumption stands at 1,400 units per year (2025-26), compared to 3,000 units per year in Vietnam (2025) and 6,500 units per year in China (2025-26), a gap that highlights both the challenge and the enormous opportunity ahead. If India can maintain sufficient spare round-the-clock power capacity, it can create a significant competitive advantage for itself. At a time when many economies are struggling with transmission bottlenecks and constrained grid expansion, dependable power availability can itself become a reason for industries and investments to choose India.
At the same time, the focus cannot remain limited to adding generation capacity alone. The larger objective should be delivering the lowest possible cost of reliable power to consumers. That requires equal attention on transmission infrastructure, storage systems and grid modernisation.
The electricity ecosystem itself is also going to change significantly over the next two decades. For more than a century, grids were designed around centralised generation and one-way power flow. The future grid will look very different. Generation will increasingly move closer to where electricity is consumed. Storage systems will become more distributed. Consumers themselves will gradually become active participants in the electricity ecosystem.
India is particularly well positioned for this shift because renewable energy potential exists across the country. However, generation today remains concentrated in select regions, which requires power to travel long distances before reaching consumption centres. Often, discussions focus only on generation cost while overlooking the actual delivered cost of electricity after transmission expansion, balancing requirements and downstream infrastructure investments are added.
In the long run, localised generation and localised consumption can fundamentally improve grid efficiency. A model where districts generate and consume a larger share of their own power can reduce transmission pressure, lower infrastructure costs and create a more resilient electricity network. Over time, this will also support peer-to-peer electricity exchange and smarter distributed systems.
Storage-backed renewable energy will play an important role in this transition. Renewable expansion cannot rely only on daytime generation capacity. The next stage of growth will depend on the ability to provide reliable renewable power even during non-solar hours. This is where battery and storage technologies become increasingly important.
At the same time, India must remain practical about its energy requirements. A growing economy of India's scale will continue to require thermal, hydro, solar, nuclear and renewable sources together for the foreseeable future. The priority should remain clear ensuring affordable and reliable electricity availability at scale.
The progress made in India's electricity sector over the last few years has been substantial. There has been meaningful improvement in generation capacity, renewable energy deployment, transmission infrastructure and overall sectoral confidence. A great deal of de-risking has also taken place, which is encouraging long-term investment into the sector.
However, as the sector evolves, new challenges will continue emerging. Distribution remains a key area of concern today. Tomorrow, there will be different challenges that require equal attention. This makes long-term policy consistency and institutional execution extremely important.
There are also certain structural issues that deserve greater focus as infrastructure investment accelerates. Strong and equitable PPP contracts remain critical for long-gestation infrastructure sectors like power. Risk and reward must be distributed fairly across stakeholders. Efficient dispute resolution mechanisms are equally important because infrastructure projects cannot operate under legal uncertainty for decades. Alongside this, faster resolution of land-related issues and digitisation of land records will remain important enablers for future infrastructure expansion.
India has a unique opportunity ahead. The countries that succeed in building reliable, affordable and future-ready electricity ecosystems will emerge stronger in manufacturing, technology and industrial growth over the coming decades. In many ways, the next phase of economic leadership will belong to those who can deliver power at scale, efficiently and consistently.
About Ratul Puri
Ratul Puri is the Chairman of Hindustan Power, an integrated power generation company with a strong presence in renewable and transitional energy. Over the years, Ratul Puri has been involved in the development of large-scale energy infrastructure projects that support India’s growing power requirements and its transition toward cleaner energy sources.

Ratul Puri Led Hindustan Power Signs Power Supply Agreement With MP Power Management Company Limited For Supply Of 800 MW Power

Ratul Puri — Thu, 28 May 2026 11:53:32 +0000

Hindustan Power, one of India’s leading integrated energy companies, has won a bid from the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to develop a solar and battery energy storage project with a contracted capacity of 150 MW of solar power. The project will require the installation of approximately 300 MWp of solar capacity and 300 MWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Shaping India’s next phase of clean-energy growth, Chairman Ratul Puri emphasized company’s focus on building flexible, storage-led renewable assets that will define the country’s future power infrastructure. The project will be developed under the ‘SECI–ISTS–XX’ tender. It is designed for flexible deployment and can be set up at suitable locations across India. It was secured through a tariff-based competitive bidding process, followed by a successful e-Reverse Auction (e-RA) conducted on the ETS portal. It was awarded under SECI’s tender for ISTS-connected Solar PV projects with integrated Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

Commenting on the development, Mr Ratul Puri, Chairman, Hindustan Power, said: “This project reflects our continuous commitment to advancing India’s transition toward a modern, flexible and future-ready energy ecosystem. Our focus remains on building assets that deliver stability and efficiency, as we continue to build future-ready energy infrastructure that supports India’s clean-energy ambitions.” This development marks another step forward in Hindustan Power’s efforts to strengthen its renewable energy portfolio and contribute to India’s clean energy goals. The integration of solar generation with battery storage will enable enhanced grid reliability, improved power management during peak hours, and a more stable supply of clean energy.

By combining solar power with advanced storage, Hindustan Power continues to support national goals for sustainability, energy security, and the delivery of clean power. The company is currently developing clean-energy projects across various parts of India. It is commissioning a 435 MW solar project in Uttar Pradesh, a 100 MW solar power plant along with a state-of-the-art 100 MW battery-energy storage system in Assam, and a 120 MWh battery-storage project in Bihar. The company has also secured a new contract from SJVN Limited to build a 100 MW solar project paired with a 200 MWh battery-storage system. Together, these projects reflect Hindustan Power’s commitment to expanding India’s clean-energy footprint.