Flexible Resource Initiative (FRI) of the U.S.-India Clean Energy Finance Task Force (Task Force) is a program co-led by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), together with representatives of India led by the Ministry of Power (MOP).

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and Idam Infra conducted this study to assess the least-cost pathways for power sector investments through 2030 for the states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. These studies assess the state-specific least-cost resource mix to meet their load reliably through 2030, in sync with the national grid, and by considering key flexible resources such as energy storage and demand response solutions including agricultural load shifts as well as flexibility provided by thermal generators.

To access the reports for all four states, click here.

We hosted a national webinar on State-Specific Least Cost Pathways for Power System Investments Through 2030 on 27th April 2023. It was attended by key stakeholders and over 140 participants and featured a brief presentation on the four state-specific studies on least cost pathways for Power sector investments followed by an engaging discussion with the esteemed panel members.

This two-day workshop had 4 thematic technical sessions in addition to the inaugural and valedictory sessions. The thematic session consisted of 12 presentations from experts and five-panel discussions. The expert panellists were from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy https://mnre.gov.in/ Central Electricity Authority, CTUIL, PGCIL, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, OFGEM, leaders from the offshore wind industry, UK academia, and experts from ASPI Renewable Energy.

The workshop was attended by 247 invitees -143 online and 104 in-person participants of which, 17% of the online and 14% of the in-person participants were women. The event received positive feedback from all the key stakeholders and successfully laid out a roadmap for the evacuation of 30 GW of OSW power.

The event involved our presentation of the draft on wind repowering policy and scheme. The event was attended by 51 participants and 10 speakers, with representatives from wind industry associations, developers, OEMs, and Government bodies from across India. The discussion led to a stimulating exchange of thoughts and inspired comments from industry stakeholders with respect to repowering policy and its key aspects in the context of India.

Under the ASPIRE Programme, Idam Infra, in association with KPMG India, KPMG UK, and Carbon Trust UK, organised a webinar on “Opportunities for AI Solutions to Reduce Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions in the Cement Sector” on 31st May 2023. The webinar provided insights on Carbon Re’s AI-based Delta Zero Cement technology which is an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) based software platform that helps cement plant operators reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. The webinar was attended by over 70 participants from the cement industry. These participants represented major Indian cement companies such as ACC, Ultratech, Shree Cement, Prism Cement, Udaipur Cement, etc.

To know more about the webinar, please visit: IDEEKSHA Portal - Carbon Re Webinar

A Study Tour/ Visit of Godawari Power and Ispat Limited, Raipur, was organised by Idam Infra, in association with KPMG India, KPMG UK, and Carbon Trust UK under Accelerating Smart Power and Renewable Energy (ASPIRE) Programme on 20th April 2023. The study tour successfully demonstrated and disseminated the various best practices and innovative Industrial Energy Efficiency and Decarbonisation (IEED) technologies adopted by the GPIL Unit to enhance its energy efficiency and efforts to decarbonise its operations. The study tour was attended by government agencies, industrial organisations, research institutions, and national and international technology providers (including senior officials and executives).

To know more about the webinar, please visit: IDEEKSHA Portal - Iron & Steel Workshop

The Round Table Discussion on 'The Proposed Electricity Amendment Bill, 2022' organised by Idam Infra and SOLPO Research was held on 17 December 2022 at Sahara Hotel Star, Mumbai.

The topic for the first session was 'Competition in Distribution Sector'. This session was chaired by Dr Pramod Deo, the Former Chairman of CERC and the theme presentation (attached) was delivered by Shri V. J. Talwar, Former Member, APTEL.

The key points of discussion were:

1. While it is necessary to bring competition in the distribution sector, the proposed scheme in the Amendment Bill is unclear and may not be conducive to this.
2. The deletion of words “develop and maintain the distribution system” from the duties of a distribution licensee in Section 42, Subsection (1) would have large scale ramifications. No one would be responsible for the creation of distribution infrastructure for subsidised consumers.
3. The deletion of words, ‘through their own distribution system’ would imply the creation of open access among distribution licensees. It could also mean no one would be responsible for the creation of distribution systems.
4. The existing Open Access (OA) provisions and regulations are for point-to-point open access. These regulations would not be applicable for OA among distribution licensees and a new framework would be needed for the same. 
5. The proposed ‘deeming’ provision under Section 15 appears to be difficult to implement, especially where No Objection Certificates from multiple central and state governments are required.
6. The guidelines given in the APTEL judgment in 246 of 2012 may be enforced for all areas of supply with multiple licensees.
7. The existing provision regarding a tenure of 25 years of license (Section 15) has created a lot of confusion and anomalous situations as different commissions have adopted different procedures for the reissue of license. It is suggested to include a provision that “A license shall continue to be in force till it is revoked” in order to avoid any confusion.
8. The concepts of Ceiling Tariff and Recovery of all prudent costs cannot to go hand-in-hand. A new methodology for the determination of ceiling tariff would be needed.
9. It is not clear how the ‘cross-subsidy balancing fund’ would be operationalised. The mechanism would get extremely complicated if multiple distribution licensees operating in specific areas are allowed to operate in any area.

Central Electricity Authority (CEA) and Danish Energy Agency(DEA), with assistance from Ea (Energianalyse A/S) and Idam Infra, are working on India's second Technology Catalogue, focusing on power storage and green fuels. The objective of this initiative is to create a comprehensive, transparent, and realistic database on power-producing technologies for India's future power system development. The catalogues will concentrate on power storage technologies (e.g., Pumped Hydro storage, Lithium Battery) and green fuel technologies (e.g., Electrolysers for Green Hydrogen, Green Ammonia).

A hybrid workshop to kick off the development of this catalogue was organised by CEA and DEA on 7th November, 2023, in Delhi with the active participation of NITI Aayog, IREDA Ltd., NTPC Limited, ReNew, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, and various other industrial stakeholders and academic partners.

To further the catalogue development process, we're seeking more detailed insights into the following aspects from other stakeholders (Please note: I've removed the list of stakeholders from here):

1. Suggestions on technologies to include.
2. Remarks and comments on the shared data
3. Data and references for any of the shared parameters in the datasheet.
All cost-related data is requested in fixed 2023 prices, excluding taxes and subsidies.

You can access the initial datasets here:

Draft datasheet power storage
Draft datasheet green fuels

Please reach out to any of the following with your valuable input and clarifications:

Anshuman Swain, Deputy Director: ceirpcea@nic.in
Kenneth Hansen Sector Expert: Keha.indep@gmail.com
Bjarke Nepper-Rasmussen, Advisor: bcnr@ens.dk
Kannan Balaraman, Executive Director: kannan.balaraman@idaminfra.com
Balawant Joshi, Managing Director: balawant.joshi@idaminfra.com
Rikke Naeraa, Consultant: rin@eaea.dk
 

Idam Infra, in association with FCDO, BEE, KPMG India, and Carbon Trust UK, under the ASPIRE Programme, organised a webinar on ‘Opportunities for Low-Emission Bulk Drying Technology to Decarbonise the Cement Sector’ on 13th December, 2023. This webinar offered valuable insights into the cutting-edge, low-carbon drying solution developed by Coomtech, a UK-based clean technology company. It served as an effective platform, not only showcasing Coomtech’s groundbreaking technology but also facilitating collaborative discussions and a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by the Indian cement industry in its journey towards Industrial Decarbonisation. The webinar was attended by over 30 participants from the cement industry representing major Indian cement companies such as Orient Cement, Heidelberg Cement, JK Cement Works, etc.

For those who missed the live webinar or wish to revisit the presentation, you can access it here:

Presentation link PPT
 

Our Founding Director and CEO, Ajit Pandit, was a distinguished panellist at the release of 'Just Energy Transition In Maharashtra: An Opportunity to Support Green Growth And Green Jobs' report, co-organized by International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST) and Department of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Maharashtra. This event explored the critical role of a green energy transition in Maharashtra's future, focusing on supporting green growth and green jobs. Industry leaders like Jamshyd Naoroji Godrej (Ex-Chairman & Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce), Nidhi Choudhari (Commissioner, Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department, Government of Maharashtra), and Pravin C. Darade (Principal Secretary, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Maharashtra), delivered insightful remarks on the state of green energy transition in Maharashtra and its potential for the state.

Ajit Pandit actively participated in the panel discussion on 'Repurposing and Repowering of Mining land and Old Power Plants for Green Growth', moderated by Mandvi Singh (Director, Energy, International Forum for Environment, Sustainability & Technology (iFOREST)). He shared his expertise alongside esteemed panellists like ANIL KUMAR SINGH (Director [Technical], Western Coalfields Ltd.), Dr. Ashok Sreenivas (Group Coordinator, Prayas (Energy Group), Pune), Dr. Gurudas Nulkar (Director, Centre for Sustainable Development, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics), and P K Kotecha (Chief Engineer, RCD, Maharashtra State Power Generation Co. Limited. (Mahagenco.) Mumbai Session), offering valuable perspectives on this crucial topic.

This event provided a valuable platform for discussing the challenges and opportunities of Maharashtra's energy transition, and we're confident that collaborations like these will pave the way for a greener and more prosperous future for the state.
 

The workshop on 'National Repowering Policy and Aggregator Business Models' held on February 2nd, 2024, at Le Royal Méridien, Chennai, was a resounding success! Organized by Idam Infra with knowledge support from Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the workshop focused on the various business models for promoting repowering projects and the game changing role of National Repowering and Life Extension Policy-2023 in providing impetus to repowering existing wind turbines in India, transitioning towards more efficient wind turbine technologies, and maximizing energy yield from wind power projects.

With opening remarks from esteemed speakers like Dr. Amit Kumar Singh Parihar, Director of the Clean Power Team at Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, Rahul Rawat, PhD from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Dr. Rajesh Katyal, Director General of National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE), and our very own Dr. Balaraman K, Executive Director at Idam Infra, the session laid the foundation with a discussion on the national wind repowering policy and its manifestations in different business models for wind aggregator projects. This was followed by a highly enlightening Technical Session wherein industry stakeholders from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) and TANGEDCO, and RAJENDRA KHARUL from Idam Infra shared valuable insights on the technical challenges of implementing wind repowering projects under the purview of National Repowering and Life Extension policy.

The subsequent panel discussion, including an open session, delved into the opportunities and challenges surrounding repowering and life extension of wind power projects. The panel featured accomplished panellists like Rajesh Katyal, Director General of National Institute of Wind Energy, Rahul Rawat, PhD, Scientist at Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), UB REDDY, President of Indian Wind Power Association and Managing Director of ENERFRA PROJECTS ( INDIA ) PRIVATE LIMITED, Gurunathan A, Head of Public Affairs, India and Asia Pacific, at Siemens Gamesa, Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association, Kannan R, Chief Operating Officer of Orient Green Power Company Ltd, A.D. Thirumoorthy, Chief Technical Advisor at Indian Wind Power Association with our Managing Director, Balawant Joshi serving as the Session Moderator. Notably, the panellists, in their specialized capacities, explored the different aggregator business models to enhance the value proposition of wind energy.

The workshop witnessed a large turnout of 65 delegates from diverse backgrounds and expertise, with a marked gender parity among the participants.
 

Reena Kori, Associate Director and Head of the Business Development practice at Idam Infra, participated as a panellist in the session on 'The Role of Energy Efficiency De-Risking Instruments in Improving Access to Finance in India on February 21, 2024, in New Delhi. This panel discussion was part of a workshop organized by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (ऊर्जा दक्षता ब्यूरो), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD - OCDE), and Asian Development Bank (ADB), aimed at enhancing India's energy efficiency landscape.

The panel discussion highlighted the critical need for de-risking instruments to accelerate Energy Efficiency investments in India and emphasized the importance of addressing industry pain points and developing sector-specific interventions to bridge the energy efficiency gap.
 

Idam Infra was part of the 'Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana (MSKVY) 2.0' initiative, a flagship programme spearheaded by the Government of Maharashtra! It is the world's largest distributed solarisation programme for agriculture feeders which will cover a staggering 9,000 MW of distributed solar capacity slated for deployment in India.

The Mukhyamantri Saur Krushi Vahini Yojana 2.0 initiative has garnered widespread praise for its innovative structure and unique features. These features have not only attracted remarkable industry participation but have also been incorporated in the national 'PM-KUSUM Component-C' scheme and served as a model for other states to accelerate distributed solar adoption in their agricultural sectors.

This programme encompasses the solarisation of over 5,000 agricultural feeders connected to roughly 2,000 distribution substations across all districts in Maharashtra. The project capacities in this programme were awarded through a transparent bidding process to 95 bidders, with tariffs ranging from Rs 2.69 to Rs 3.10 per unit. The Letters of Award (LOAs) were presented to the successful bidders by the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis on March 7, 2024, at a special event at the Sahyadri Guest House.

Idam Infra's role in this ground-breaking initiative extends beyond project management consulting. For this programme, under the guidance of our Founding Director and CEO Ajit Pandit, we also developed a one-of-a-kind IT platform to monitor, guide, and support developers, utility staff, and all stakeholders throughout the programme's implementation. Notably, the LOAs for the 95 bidders, representing an aggregate capacity of over 9,000 MW, were issued electronically through this innovative digital platform.

Our Managing Director, Balawant Joshi, spoke and moderated a thematic discussion on 'Digital Tools for DER(Distributed Energy Resources) Management', on March 15, 2024 at ISUW 2024.

ISUW 2024 provided a valuable platform for learning from industry leaders, discussing future trends, and connecting with energy professionals and potential partners. It tackled critical topics in the energy sector, from utility automation, mobility systems, and long-duration storage solutions to integrating power and carbon markets, and offering digital energy solutions, It accorded a fantastic opportunity to gain insights directly from prominent energy leaders from diverse backgrounds into industry trends, innovative strategies to meet the net zero goal by 2030, and the future of energy sector.
 

The Indian paper industry is a significant player on the world stage, contributing to 5% of global paper production and generating an annual revenue of INR 80,000 crores. However, with an energy consumption rate of 34.3 GJ/tonne of paper, there's a pressing need to improve energy efficiency and achieve industrial decarbonisation.

To address this, Idam Infra, as part of the UK India ASPIRE Programme, collaborated with FCDO, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (ऊर्जा दक्षता ब्यूरो), and KPMG India to organise a workshop titled 'Best Practices in Energy Efficiency in the Pulp & Paper Sector: A Path for Decarbonisation'. Held on February 13, 2024, at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Amritsar, the event featured a presentation by our Managing Director, Balawant Joshi, delineating a brief overview of the theme of Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) in the UK India ASPIRE Programme. The workshop brought together senior officials from leading Indian pulp and paper companies (such as JK Paper Ltd., Khanna Paper Mills Ltd., Century Pulp and Paper, etc), technology providers (Valmet Technologies Pvt. Ltd., CoolPlanet, Yokogawa India Limited, etc.), industry associations (Indian Agro & Recycled Paper Mills Association), and research institutions (Central Pulp & Paper Research Institute, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India) from both India and the UK.

Following the workshop, participants embarked on a site visit to Khanna Paper Mills Ltd. on February 14, 2024, showcasing the sustainable initiatives and best practices in Industrial Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization (IEED) adopted by the mill.

Key Takeaways:

▪ The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (ऊर्जा दक्षता ब्यूरो) emphasised the potential for the #pulpandpaper sector to benefit from Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). Notably, 11 plants have been shortlisted to migrate from the PAT scheme to the #CCTS scheme.

▪ Key approaches to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions include:
-Increasing the use of renewable energy sources.
-Implementing circular economy initiatives.
-Lowering Scope 3 emissions through logistics optimisation (including raw material and fuel sourcing), vendor selection, and other methods.
-Digitalisation.

▪ The use of a bio-combustion catalyst can immediately reduce energy costs by improving combustion efficiency and minimising other losses.
 

India's chlor-alkali industry is a global leader, contributing roughly 70% of basic chemicals and boasting a turnover of approximately INR 57 lakh crore. However, despite its impressive growth, energy costs remain a major hurdle, accounting for 50-60% of production expenses. Thankfully, innovative solutions like captive power plants are transforming the energy landscape. Notably, around 40% of the produced hydrogen is utilized as captive fuel, while caustic soda finds diverse applications in sectors like textiles and alumina.

In line with these industry-wide efforts, Idam Infra, as part of the UK India ASPIRE Programme, collaborated with FCDO Services, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (ऊर्जा दक्षता ब्यूरो), and KPMG India to organize an insightful workshop on 'Best Practices in Energy Efficiency in Chlor-Alkali Sector: A Path for Decarbonisation'. Held on February 27, 2024, at the Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL) Auditorium, the event brought together senior officials from leading Indian chlor-alkali companies (GRASIM INDUSTRIES LIMITED ( ADITYA BIRLA GROUP), Reliance Industries Limited, Nirma Limited, etc.), technology providers from the UK (Centrica, Carbon Clean, and INEOS), and their Indian counterparts (SepraTECH Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Bertrams Chemical Plants Limited - India Liaison Office, etc.). Balawant Joshi, our Managing Director, delivered a thought-provoking presentation on the 'Overview of Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE)' theme of the ASPIRE Programme.

Following the workshop, participants embarked on a plant visit on February 28, 2024. This visit served as a valuable opportunity to witness the sustainable initiatives and best practices in Industrial Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization (IEED) implemented by GACL.

The discussions highlighted several key levers for achieving a sustainable chlor-alkali sector:

▪ Transitioning to clean energy by embracing energy efficiency measures and integrating renewable energy sources.
▪ Harnessing the potential of hydrogen by exploring its diverse applications across various industries.
▪ facilitating circular economy practices by prioritizing membrane recycling and waste minimization.
▪ Integrating energy management systems, IoT technologies, and digitalization solutions.
▪ Enhancing efficiency with Bipolar Membrane Electrolysers
 

India is the world's largest producer of sugar, yielding around 40 million metric tons in 2022-23. The sugarcane and sugar sector is the country's second-largest agro-based industry, with ~756 sugar mills, of which 522 were operational in 2021-22. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar host 60% of these mills, with Uttar Pradesh being the top producer.

Beyond supplying raw materials to the alcohols and beverages sector, the sugar industry contributes significantly to fuel blending. The industry aids in green fuel production and reducing crude oil imports. It has contributed to India far exceeding its target of achieving a 10% ethanol blend with petrol ahead of schedule, and its next goal of a 20% blend by 2025.

However, many studies reveal that sugar production can have a significant carbon footprint. This underscores the urgent need to accelerate energy efficiency and industrial decarbonization efforts in the sector.

In step with these efforts, Idam Infra, as part of the UK India ASPIRE Programme, in collaboration with FCDO Services, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (ऊर्जा दक्षता ब्यूरो), and KPMG India, recently hosted a workshop on 'Best Practices in Energy Efficiency in Sugar Sector: A Path for Decarbonisation' on March 21st, 2024, at Hotel Renaissance, Lucknow. Our Managing Director, Balawant Joshi, delivered a presentation on the theme of an Overview of Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) within the program.

The event gathered senior officials from leading Indian sugar industries (such as Balrampur Chini Mills Limited and Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar Limited), industry stakeholders like Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), MITCON India, and technology providers from the UK (Centrica, Carbon Clean, and Shell), and India (Environpol Engineers Private Limited, PADMASHTDAL ENERGY SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED).

Following the workshop, participants visited the Balrampur Chini Mills Limited (BCML) Plant on March 22, 2024, to examine the sustainable initiatives and best practices in Industrial Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization (IEED) adopted by BCML.

At the end of the workshop, the following were the key levers determined to ensure a sustainable sugar sector:

▪ Minimizing Heat Loss: Enhancing thermal insulation in Boilers, Air Preheaters (APH), economizers, and steam lines.

▪ Captive Cogeneration Plants: Implementing Bagasse Dryers for improved efficiency.

▪ Energy Efficient Gears: Substituting conventional gears with energy-efficient options to reduce energy transmission losses.

▪ Digitalization: Incorporating energy management systems, IoT technologies, and digitalization practices.

▪ Clean Energy Transition: Adopting energy efficiency measures and renewable energy sources to achieve a shift towards cleaner energy sources.