Advanced technologies key to India’s ambitious emissions reduction targets, ET EnergyWorld

New Delhi: Energy efficiency can reduce India’s greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50 percent, according to insights presented at the ETEnergyworld India Net Zero Forum. In the discussion that was part of the panel entitled “Technology and Innovation – Leading the way in India’s energy journey”, industry leaders highlighted the key role of advanced technologies in achieving such significant reductions. Ashok Kumar, Deputy Director General, Office of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power, highlighted the potential of energy conservation measures. He said: “Energy efficiency is expected to make a significant contribution to mitigating climate change, with estimates from entities such as the IEA suggesting it could account for 40-50 percent of emissions reduction efforts.”

C. Laxma Reddy, Executive Director, ONGC Ltd, added a historical perspective on the environmental impact of traditional energy sources. “We owe some gratitude to the oil and gas industry for its role in delaying climate change. Without oil and gas, we could rely more on even more polluting sources like wood and coal,” Reddy noted.

The panel also discussed the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in the energy sector. Rajiv Agarwal, Chief Technology Officer, Engineers India Ltd, highlighted their role in increasing operational efficiency. “Artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming predictive maintenance in the oil and gas industry, which has traditionally spent significant amounts of money maintaining complex equipment. Now, AI tools help monitor critical indicators such as machine vibration and operating temperature, significantly increasing maintenance efficiency,” Agarwal explained.

Raman Kalra, senior partner and vice president of IBM Consulting, highlighted the advantages of artificial intelligence and machine learning in network management. “Artificial intelligence and machine learning are proving to be very beneficial at the low-voltage grid and substation transformer level, improving concentration, preventing downtime and reducing breakdowns and maintenance needs,” Kalra said.

Shubhashis Dey, director of climate policy and climate finance at the Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, emphasized the need for targeted investments in energy storage solutions. “In the case of RTC energy, the energy storage system is one of the most important aspects that the government and industry should look at. As we watch China’s progress, similar incentives and structuring of infrastructure funds are needed to support the ecosystem changes required to deploy solar panels and other storage solutions,” Dey noted.

Sudhir Pathak, director of central design and engineering at Hero Future Energies, touched on the reliability challenges associated with renewable energy. “Renewable energy is great when it works, but it can be difficult when something goes wrong,” Pathak said.