At GRIDCON 2025, a panel dialogue on “Indian Energy Sector in 2047” explored the important thing elements shaping the way forward for the ability sector in India, together with the position of transmission firms, grid stability, reliability and resilience, technological developments in transmission, and coverage and regulatory modifications. Senior executives from the Central Electrical energy Authority (CEA), POWERGRID, GRID-INDIA, PwC, and Sterlite Energy mentioned the transformation of India’s energy sector by 2047, highlighting the technological, regulatory and infrastructure developments required to construct a safe, sustainable and environment friendly grid. Edited excerpts…
Hemant Jain
Hemant Jain offered the attitude of a technical and planning physique, emphasising the significance of constructing a sturdy energy sector for realising India’s Imaginative and prescient 2047. He said that as India approaches 100 years of independence, a powerful energy infrastructure will likely be a essential pillar of the nation’s progress. He acknowledged POWERGRID’s management in growing the interstate transmission system (ISTS) and recognised the contribution of personal transmission gamers in strengthening the sector. This collaborative effort, he famous, enabled India to fulfill a peak demand of 250 GW final 12 months, with an expectation to succeed in 270 GW this 12 months.
Jain highlighted that by 2047, India’s put in energy capability is projected to develop fivefold, with practically 90 per cent coming from non-fossil gas sources, together with renewable vitality and nuclear energy. Nonetheless, he identified an necessary distinction – whereas put in capability is anticipated to develop 5 instances, vitality demand and peak load will enhance solely threefold. This means a shift within the vitality combine, with a lowered reliance on standard thermal energy and a larger share of variable renewable vitality. This transition poses a big problem in sustaining grid reliability. The evolving vitality system would require cautious planning and coordination amongst central, state and personal sector gamers to make sure stability. Jain appreciated the collective efforts of stakeholders in reaching the present stage, the place India can confidently meet its vitality and peak demand necessities. Trying forward, he emphasised the necessity for continued collaboration to deal with the challenges posed by an more and more renewables-driven grid.
Laws are important to take care of the well being and operability of the ability system to serve shoppers successfully. He acknowledged that whereas India’s ISTS has advanced and continues to take action, the actual problem lies in integrating intra-state transmission networks. Their seamless coordination is essential for a well-functioning energy sector.
He careworn that the harmonisation of regulatory processes is crucial to making sure that buyers have readability on compliance necessities and approval procedures earlier than getting into the sector. A cohesive regulatory framework will assist streamline investments and execution timelines. He additionally highlighted the position of regulatory our bodies and statutory entities such because the CEA in making certain that the method stays environment friendly and investor-friendly, fostering a secure and predictable surroundings for energy sector progress.
Trying forward, he underscored the essential significance of peak load administration, significantly within the context of accelerating renewable vitality integration and the anticipated 250 GW of thermal capability by 2047. He emphasised that peak load administration methods, together with flattening the load curve, should turn out to be a key focus in future insurance policies and operational frameworks. He instructed that these methods must be steadily included into regulatory harmonisation efforts to make sure a balanced and resilient grid. He additionally highlighted the necessity for a extra skilled and expert-driven strategy to load despatch capabilities on the state degree. Jain known as for state load despatch centres to be geared up with capabilities just like regional load despatch centres, making certain that holistic load forecasting, era planning and useful resource mobilisation are carried out effectively.
Reshu Madan
Reshu Madan highlighted Sterlite Energy’s main position in India’s personal transmission sector and its worldwide footprint, significantly in Brazil. He emphasised that funding in transmission infrastructure is essential. Nonetheless, transmission growth is lagging behind era capability, posing a serious problem for the sector. One of many challenges is the effectivity hole. In India, developing a 400 kV line takes 1,100-1,200 man-days, whereas a 765 kV line takes about 1,600 man-days. As compared, the identical work takes 600 man-days in Thailand, 400 man-days in Brazil and solely 200-250 man-days within the US or Europe.
Going ahead, velocity, innovation and mechanisation are important for remodeling the transmission sector. Sterlite has pioneered the usage of heli-cranes in Jammu & Kashmir in addition to drones for tasks within the Northeast to speed up their execution. These developments have considerably lowered venture timelines from 48-60 months to 24-36 months. Trying forward, lowering dependence on guide labour is necessary attributable to expert workforce shortages.
Concerning the corporate’s plans, he shared that Sterlite Energy is making vital investments of Rs 4 billion to develop its conductor manufacturing capability from 110,000 tonnes to 150,000 tonnes. Part of this funding will likely be used to arrange a greenfield plant in Baroda, which is able to manufacture 400 kV cables. These investments and technological developments align with the nation’s rising energy demand and the purpose of constructing a resilient transmission community for the longer term.
Padam Prakash
By 2047, India’s economic system is projected to succeed in $30 trillion-$35 trillion, with a per capita revenue of round $14,000 (up from the present $2,500), making a sturdy and dynamic energy sector essential to help such a progress. Additional, the distribution phase is anticipated to turn out to be aggressive, with discoms turning worthwhile and providing shoppers the selection of provide. Electrical energy demand is anticipated to almost double from 250 GW right now to 410-430 GW. The put in capability combine is anticipated to bear a serious change, reaching 2,100 GW by 2047, with vital capability coming from photo voltaic and wind. The transmission phase is anticipated to witness key technological developments, such because the deployment of 1,200 kV ultra-high voltage transmission and the addition of 200,000 ckt km of transmission traces and 1,200 GVA of transformation capability.
S.C. Saxena
S.C. Saxena highlighted the altering dynamics of energy demand and provide as a result of growing share of renewable vitality. He identified that the rising photo voltaic era and managing that within the daytime has not been a problem. Nonetheless, the actual challenge arises throughout non-solar hours, when photo voltaic era turns into nil. This shift has led to a redefinition of peak demand durations, making non-solar peaks extra vital and difficult than ever earlier than. As extra photo voltaic capability is added, assembly daytime demand will turn out to be simpler, however making certain useful resource adequacy for non-solar hours will likely be essential.
To deal with this, new guidelines and laws have been launched, mandating useful resource adequacy research as much as a 10-year horizon. This consists of reserve planning, making certain not simply demand fulfilment but additionally contingency preparedness. He cited a latest instance the place a big capability of solar energy was misplaced immediately attributable to cloud cowl, emphasising the necessity for sturdy backup mechanisms.
On the transmission aspect, he famous that conventional energy flows have traditionally been east to west, east to north and east to south, primarily based on the location of standard energy sources. Nonetheless, with the rise of renewable vitality in western, northern and southern India, electrical energy transmission flows are altering. This shift requires vital upgrades and modifications within the transmission infrastructure to effectively combine and handle variable renewable vitality sources.
He highlighted that historically, the northern area was an importing zone, serving as a serious demand centre. Nonetheless, latest knowledge revealed that in photo voltaic hours (10 a.m.-6 p.m.), your complete northern area is now exporting energy, a basic shift from historic developments. This shift introduces new challenges in transmission operations, significantly the emergence of bidirectional energy flows that change on a diurnal foundation. Managing these dynamic flows will likely be essential, as they might result in congestion points throughout the transmission community. He acknowledged that congestion occasions are already occurring intermittently, underscoring the necessity for proactive grid administration methods.
Saxena additionally talked in regards to the significance of flexibility in energy era, given the growing share of renewable vitality within the combine. With renewables set to dominate by 2047, all different vitality sources – together with thermal – should turn out to be extra adaptable. Whereas the share of thermal energy is anticipated to say no, he projected that some degree of thermal era would nonetheless be vital in 2047.
Dr. Subir Sen
Dr. Subir Sen outlined the street map for India’s energy sector transformation by 2047, emphasising the necessity to reimagine and elevate the sector to fulfill twin vitality objectives – making certain vitality safety and progressing in direction of web zero emissions by 2070. He famous that by 2047, 90 per cent of the electrical energy era is anticipated to return from non-fossil gas sources, making vitality independence a key goal.
Dr. Sen highlighted three essential challenges – termed as “three A’s” – that should be addressed to construct a sustainable and resilient energy sector. These are adequacy, accessibility and affordability. To fulfill these aims, he careworn the necessity for vital enlargement of transmission infrastructure, protecting bulk transmission highways on the interstate and intra-state ranges, in addition to deeper penetration into the distribution community.
The mixing of superior applied sciences is crucial to make sure that the grid operates synchronously and effectively. He advocated for a “good” energy system – one that may sense meaningfully and reply in actual time – enabled by web of vitality (IoE) built-in with web of issues (IoT).
Dr. Sen emphasised that the longer term grid should minimise human intervention by leveraging digitalisation, synthetic intelligence (AI) and machine studying (ML) for each development and asset administration. Predictive analytics will play an important position, permitting automated corrective actions to stop faults even earlier than they happen. He pointed to digital substations as a key element in managing the growing renewable vitality share, which is inherently variable and intermittent.
A serious shift, he defined, would be the transition from grid-following inverters to grid-forming inverters, which is able to improve grid stability and safety. Moreover, vitality storage will likely be essential, significantly pumped storage hydropower, which is anticipated to develop from 4.7 GW at current to 116 GW by 2047. Different vitality storage applied sciences, together with battery vitality storage methods, are projected to succeed in 47 GW by 2032.
Dr. Sen concluded by stating that reaching these objectives would require an equal deal with digitalisation, decentralisation and automation, making certain a resilient, environment friendly and future-ready energy system for India. He additionally highlighted the significance of nuclear vitality in India’s future vitality combine, with 100 GW of nuclear capability anticipated to return on-line.
He proposed modern options for decrease voltage ranges (132 kV-220 kV), resembling photonic coatings on conductors and high-capacity conductors, to enhance transmission effectivity. Moreover, he emphasised the importance of medium voltage DC (MVDC) methods, which must be developed alongside excessive voltage DC (HVDC) methods (500 kV, 320 kV, 800 kV). He identified that even 33 kV and 66 kV DC methods may very well be useful, requiring developments in each software program and infrastructure.
Concerning urbanisation and industrialisation, he famous that India’s inhabitants is anticipated to succeed in 1.7 billion by 2047, making it tough to construct new transmission infrastructure. MVDC networks and underground cable methods will likely be vital for energy distribution in densely populated areas.
Dr. Sen highlighted the significance of offshore wind vitality, citing tasks in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, the place 10 GW has been recognized for growth by 2032. Offshore wind energy would require devoted AC-DC transmission infrastructure, undersea energy cables and transnational grid interconnections for optimum useful resource utilisation. He famous that the event of undersea grids and deep-sea energy transmission would require in depth analysis and funding. He additionally mentioned the important thing position of public-private collaboration in R&D to drive innovation, demonstration and deployment of latest applied sciences.
Lastly, he outlined 4 key precedence areas for the ability sector in India – vitality safety and web zero transition by 2047, good and environment friendly transmission networks, AI-driven cybersecurity with a zero-trust strategy and capability constructing for rising applied sciences.
Naveen Srivastava
Naveen Srivastava strengthened the size of transformation required in India’s energy sector by 2047. He famous that out of the projected 2,100 GW of era capability by 2047, 1,600-1,700 GW would come from renewable sources, considerably altering grid dynamics.
He emphasised that with an anticipated addition of 200,000 ckt km of transmission traces and a surge in transformation capability to over 4,000 GVA, conventional guide operations would not be possible. As a substitute, the grid would must be AI-driven, IoT-enabled and largely unmanned. The amount of knowledge generated by such in depth infrastructure would necessitate good transmission traces and substations able to self-operation and real-time decision-making.
Srivastava highlighted that POWERGRID is already advancing on this path, with 281 substations at the moment being operated remotely. POWERGRID goals to transition in direction of absolutely digital substations by 2047. The main focus is now on predictive upkeep by means of superior monitoring applied sciences, together with transformer and breaker situation monitoring.
As well as, POWERGRID is specializing in selling native manufacturing, making certain that overseas contractors organising tasks in India should put money into factories inside the nation. Additionally, to deal with the rising problem of proper of method, POWERGRID is implementing dynamic line score methods, making current corridors and transmission traces smarter to deal with the extra load.
He careworn that cybersecurity is a essential focus space, given the huge transmission infrastructure community. Investments are being made to strengthen cybersecurity measures, together with making certain that operational expertise and knowledge expertise methods stay separate, in an effort to mitigate cyber threats.
