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Transcript
00:00I'd like to leave you with a thought.
00:02I want Andhra Pradesh to be the Saudi Arabia of clean energy.
00:07Now what does that mean?
00:10There's wind, there's solar, there's pump storage projects.
00:14Can we take clean energy and actually go into molecules that can then be sent to all over the world
00:21and also substitute our energy requirements domestically?
00:24So that is what I believe India should play in.
00:27Because even in the presentation that the Honourable Chief Minister made this morning,
00:31it was clear that we are dependent on other nations for our energy requirements.
00:39Long term, given the geopolitical changes, it's important that we become self-sustainable.
00:45And that's where green molecules play an important role.
00:50So this conversation is great to understand it from end-to-end perspective
00:55because I think we are doing solar, we are doing wind, we are doing, of course, energy storage systems.
01:00Then we have companies that are doing green molecules.
01:03But it's important to think it through end-to-end
01:05and learn from experiences from different parts of the world
01:08and enable India to really leapfrog in this journey.
01:17Nikhil Dhingra, you know, your company has been one of the leading manufacturers of solar and battery storage.
01:26What do you think, how can Andhra balance it and what is the role,
01:32since there is energy transition right now, what is the role can, you know, battery storage play here
01:39in bringing down the electricity costs as well as, you know, the reliability factor?
01:47Thanks.
01:48Thanks for the question, Nidhi.
01:50So, I see Andhra Pradesh as one of the most forward-looking state in terms of planning their energy needs
01:58ahead of time.
01:59We saw them procure battery power for their near- and mid-term requirements quite early
02:08and tying up all the difficult period in winter and the summer at a very competitive price.
02:15So, through battery energy storage, right?
02:18And this is a new medium.
02:19Of course, we are a large player in this battery energy storage system
02:23and we see that it is going to play a very important role, much more important role
02:29because of the geopolitical issues in the gas
02:32and, of course, the competitiveness of battery energy storage system.
02:37And the other key factor aiding its growth is the short time it takes to put it up
02:43and, of course, the nighttime connectivity we have available in the overall Indian grid
02:48which is unutilized.
02:50So, these are the factors which are aiding its growth and the fast ramp-up of it.
02:58Andhra Pradesh, of course, have a lot of resource availability like the Honorable Minister said.
03:05They're thinking it through for the complete value chain that how can they export from Andhra Pradesh across.
03:11Just to add, we are in the green molecule space.
03:15We are one of the few companies who is actually spending thousands of crores in a green molecule
03:20and the most capex in this sector so far.
03:24So, what we have realized is green molecules is definitely the way to go forward
03:28and that is India being the most competitive nation in terms of the power cost.
03:34We have a definite advantage in terms of exporting green molecules out of here
03:38and Andhra Pradesh, because of being the coastal state, because of access of so many great ports
03:42and such a great resource across the sources, can really take a lead on this
03:49and it's already happening.
03:50We see another company similar to us like Green Co.
03:54already putting up a lot of green molecule and we are also evaluating it very strongly.
03:59So, I completely believe in Honorable Minister's vision that this is definitely doable
04:04and of course, and they are taking the lead in terms of attracting the right sectors to
04:11the state by offering the right environment, offering the right policies
04:15and of course, the resource availability also encourages us to invest more and more in this state.
04:25Sir, Dinesh Jagdali ji.
04:28Sir, your Suzlan has been at the forefront of wind turbine technology.
04:34So, where do you see the greatest opportunities for innovation in renewable and storage technologies
04:42to further reduce costs and also innovate and the sustainability question as well?
04:49Thanks, Nidhi, and good afternoon to all.
04:52Honorable Minister, good afternoon.
04:54What we saw in the morning session was, I can say, and the question is related to innovation,
05:00but what the Honorable Chief Minister presented to us was something innovative ideas,
05:05what he has in his mind, and how the state is going to rule the coming decades
05:12in terms of the energy security and the overall industrialization.
05:17Coming to the question, as Suzlan, we are the leading wind turbine companies,
05:22we not only produce wind turbines, but we also go ahead and install and do the entire
05:28credulity graves kind of services that we provide.
05:32I remember the early decade of 2000 when Andhra Pradesh started its wind journey,
05:37and some of the sites which were there in the areas of the southern Andhra Pradesh,
05:41Tadpatri and all, I remember, I was a part of that success story.
05:45And today, when the entire modern turbines have come into design in terms of the way the energy
05:52harnessing is happening, the turbines have grown.
05:55So what lies forward is that, is larger hub heights, larger rotor diameters,
06:01basically innovating in the way we require the blade designs, we have the better controls,
06:07and use of AI.
06:08And that's, so if you ask me, the innovation has to be on four fronts.
06:13One is technology.
06:15Second, I come to is the real challenge and real part is the system integration.
06:20We are speaking about storage, we talk about solar.
06:22But the real 24 by 7 clean power, which is the required requirement of today's distribution company or utility,
06:30or even in industry, I think that is where the innovation has to happen.
06:34We need to ensure that the plain vanilla winds or plain vanilla solars will probably not be able to derive
06:41the value out of this energy.
06:42But a combination of wind plus solar, plus enabling battery storage, or whether any kind of storage,
06:49we can take pump storage.
06:51And the real integration is what, where the innovation has come, has to come to provide 24 by 7 reliable
06:57electricity to the grid.
06:59The third thing is, obviously, when we come to the execution part,
07:03I think probably we have seen Andhra Pradesh itself, the SIR has vision of almost 78 gigawatt of solar.
07:11We have almost 35 gigawatt of wind, and almost equivalent 50 gigawatt of the storage element to that.
07:18Now to execute this, we'll have to bring in innovations, we'll have to plan the grid in advance,
07:23we have to ensure that the last mile connectivity is available.
07:26So all that needs to be done in the execution part.
07:29So three things, one is innovation in terms of the technology,
07:34second is innovation where the system is really, the system integration happens,
07:38and the third thing is how we really bring those ideas into execution
07:42and deliver the clean and green power that is required for the state and the utilities.
07:49Mr. Parag Sharma, Resolve N has recently secured 150 megawatt in Seki's thermal mimic auction.
07:58What does this tell us?
08:01Can renewable energy sources, your development, storage,
08:07can it take on the role that has traditionally been dominated by coal?
08:13No, thanks, Diri, and this is really relevant for the sector.
08:21So we all know that from the last five, six years, solar and wind has been much cheaper than the
08:27coal.
08:28But the critics used to say that whenever we need solar power, it is not available,
08:34and it is not a firm power.
08:36So what this tender has done is this tender has shown that renewable power can be firm
08:43and still be cheaper than the coal-based power.
08:46Look at the contours of this tender.
08:48This tender talks about six hours of dispatchable power
08:52where we have to give, with a 90% accuracy, a dispatchable power in the evening peak hours,
08:59which are any of the six.
09:01So Discom can choose which could be these six hours one day in advance
09:06and then can ask for the delivery of dispatchable power.
09:09And even with these firm conditions,
09:12the tariff discovered is almost one rupee cheaper than the coal-based power plant.
09:16So this tariff is just 5 rupees 25.
09:20So your next question was that whether,
09:23what is the constraints in terms of technical and commercial,
09:26why still everyone is not moving only to renewables?
09:31Technically, there is no constraint.
09:32Now, the firm power can easily be met with a mix of solar, wind and batteries,
09:38and it has been technically proven.
09:40The second question, which is commercial,
09:43is more related to, I believe, two or three points.
09:46The first point is that it's been almost two months
09:49since the SECI has called this tender.
09:52They have been still struggling to sign the PPA.
09:55So somehow, Discom's, I would say the planning is flawed or the process is flawed.
10:02The whole PPA processes in India needs to be revived if the sector has to grow.
10:07Despite proving the point that it is not only cheaper,
10:11it is firm and 20% cheaper than coal,
10:14we are not being able to sell this power.
10:17So that's the first point.
10:19The second is, just to give you a match,
10:22for bidding for this 150 megawatt,
10:25Resolvent is setting up a 700 megawatt of renewables behind.
10:29So there will be a lot of time when there will be a surplus power,
10:33and we have to sell in the merchant market.
10:35The second commercial problem in India is that wholesale market has not really developed.
10:41The merchant power in India is just 5 to 10%.
10:45We have to remove this cap of 10 rupees, which has been levied on merchant.
10:50And we have to do multiple such things so that this wholesale market becomes deeper.
10:56People can give this kind of a solutioning with far more confidence.
11:00But yes, in summary, it's now left to the Discom's.
11:05What Renewable has proven is very difficult to imagine 5-6 years back.
11:15Kuldeep Jain, your company, CleanMax, is one of India's leading suppliers of clean energy,
11:25renewable energy to the industry.
11:29Now, how do you see an opportunity of using the infrastructure of traditional coal-based,
11:39transmission lines and everything?
11:41Do you see an opportunity there in using that infrastructure?
11:46How can innovation come in here when we have to use this?
11:52So a few aspects, Nidhi.
11:54Firstly, the good news is for all industry in every state in India,
11:59a factory can save 20-30% of its power cost by going green
12:05instead of relying on the coal-heavy Discom.
12:08So the biggest innovation is make in India using cheaper, greener power.
12:15So that's an improvement, number one,
12:18which not just lowers the cost of a factory,
12:21but also lowers the carbon footprint.
12:23So if you're part of any global value chain,
12:25whether you're exporting or selling to someone who is selling to an MNC,
12:29you can make in India using cheaper, greener power.
12:32Second is all transmission lines do not have a color.
12:37There is nothing like a coal transmission line or a green transmission line.
12:41It is a transmission line.
12:43Right?
12:43So the existing infrastructure can definitely be used and repurposed
12:49to, you know, transmit green electricity instead of brown molecules.
12:59I'll come to you, Mr. Nara Lokesh.
13:02As Andhra Pradesh is evolving its energy needs,
13:07and how do you see,
13:08will coal continue to play an important role in Andhra Pradesh's energy mix?
13:15Nidhi, if you have seen Andhra Pradesh in the last one year,
13:18we have seen 30% jump in consumption of energy.
13:21And this is before all the MOUs actually now getting grounded
13:27and commercial production starting.
13:29We have seen few companies come to commercial production.
13:32Many are under construction.
13:34And on the back of this,
13:36we see even data centers now coming on slide.
13:38So by 28,
13:41you know,
13:42our energy requirements potentially can even double.
13:46Now when we need to do this,
13:48I think all of us on the DAIS would agree
13:49that there will be a certain base load
13:53of traditional forms of energy.
13:57Gas, thermal, various other sources.
14:00But as a state, we are blessed.
14:02We have good wind sites.
14:04We have sites where you can do the PSP projects.
14:07Of course, solar.
14:09Ryalseam is abundant in sunlight.
14:11So that's never been a challenge.
14:12But I think the bigger challenge is the pace at which we can execute.
14:16Because the energy requirements,
14:18it's very clear.
14:19Two and a half, three years from now,
14:21my energy requirement is minimum going to double.
14:24Now the challenge is for the players on the DAIS,
14:27who already have investments in Andhra Pradesh,
14:30on how can we ensure we can give round-the-clock
14:33green energy at a competitive price point.
14:37While we all agree that the daytime solar price has crashed,
14:42you know, 50 price hour wear off.
14:44But then, in the night time,
14:46prices are back at 10 rupees,
14:48the artificial cap that you have been talking.
14:50I think if you remove the cap,
14:51it might go as high as 30 rupees,
14:53for all we know, a unit.
14:54But the idea is,
14:56how can we ensure RTC green delivers?
14:59So as a state, we are eager.
15:01We have signed an agreement with Kuldeep to also look at pump storage projects.
15:06But these are projects we need to construct in a hurry.
15:10You cannot approach this subject in a traditional format of,
15:14you know, other hydro projects,
15:15where we take five years, seven years to build them out.
15:19Because capital is expensive.
15:21And if you don't build it today,
15:23three years from now,
15:24the same project is going to cost me double the amount.
15:27So that's been the approach from the state level.
15:29And I think one point, if I can add,
15:31which is a bit off your question,
15:32but I think which is very important is,
15:35Andhra Pradesh, between 19 and 24,
15:37struggled with lack of policy stability.
15:41So what we've done post-24 is ensure that the stability comes in.
15:46And all the long-term pending issues are all settled with the industry.
15:51And we said, now let's start with a clean slate.
15:54That's how, if you look at it,
15:55last year we added almost 4.8 gigawatts of renewable energy,
15:58whilst in five years, between 19 to 24,
16:02the addition was only 6 megawatts.
16:04So I think the industry is still looking forward
16:06to greater stability in policy.
16:09Because these are all long-term capital bets.
16:12It could be solar, it could be wind, even pump storage.
16:15So that kind of, you know,
16:17policy stability is also going to be very important.
16:20And I believe that even government of India
16:22has a very important role to play.
16:26Since you mentioned data centers,
16:28and we're sitting in Rizak,
16:29the place where you have already sanctioned 5.5 gigawatt of data centers,
16:34do you want to say something about the concerns that are being raised
16:38as far as data centers being power guzzlers?
16:40How does Andhra tackle that question?
16:45So I see a lot of youngsters in the audience,
16:47and I like to ask them to think about something.
16:51Every year, 3,000 TMC of water,
16:543,000 TMC of water,
16:57is going from Godavari to Bay of Bengal.
17:00Now what does 3,000 TMC of water mean?
17:023,000 TMC of water is almost the annual consumption of Brazil.
17:09What we are doing in Andhra Pradesh
17:11is to impound this water in Polavaram
17:13and move it for agriculture, industrial and domestic use.
17:17That is the first thing we are doing.
17:19Second, if you look at the projects that are coming to Andhra Pradesh,
17:22in particular, the Google project
17:24that everyone is now talking about,
17:26is actually an air-cooled project.
17:28It is not even a water-cooled project.
17:30It is an air-cooled project backed with renewable energy.
17:36I will give you another number.
17:38We are talking about coal to clean energy.
17:43A thermal power plant,
17:45for the same gigawatt of energy it generates,
17:48consumes 10 times more water than a data center.
17:52But no one wants to talk about that.
17:56So I want us to have these numbers in context.
18:00Is the environment important?
18:01Absolutely.
18:02No second thought.
18:03This government is very committed to it.
18:06But then development will have a certain amount of footprint
18:09on the environment.
18:11And as youngsters here,
18:12we should think about,
18:13how do we leave the smallest footprint humanly possible?
18:16And that is exactly what we are doing in Andhra Pradesh.
18:21So the data centers that are coming up,
18:24in the GEO it is very clear that minimum 80% of their energy requirement
18:27has to be from green sources.
18:31They are all going to be air-cooled.
18:33So I think this should ensure that there are no more fears in the youngsters.
18:38And the last point I would like to add,
18:39because I see this in Instagram and Facebook,
18:43you know, youngsters are vocal, which is good,
18:46but they are using Instagram, which uses data centers.
18:50So it is a fact.
18:52So it is a reality.
18:54Data centers are important.
18:55In the geopolitical changes that we are going through,
18:58it is very important to have our own data,
19:02India's data, citizens' data,
19:04be stored on our sovereign soil.
19:07Because all it takes is one switch to shut us out.
19:13You know, if God forbid,
19:16God forbid there is going to be a geopolitical issue.
19:18It takes all about one kill switch to cut India out.
19:22So this is something I like youngsters of our nation to think through.
19:33Since the minister is here and he talks about jobs, jobs, and jobs,
19:37I want to throw a common question at our clean energy experts here running companies
19:43and to the minister himself.
19:45How do you see, as you know,
19:46you expand your manufacturing footprint across Andhra Pradesh,
19:51how do you see the renewable sector being an energy employment generator?
19:56I will begin with you, sir, Mr. Jagdile.
20:02I think it is very important.
20:05We are talking about clean energy manufacturing.
20:07We are talking about clean jobs.
20:09We are talking shift from coal to clean energy.
20:12And when we are speaking this,
20:14I think I really believe this is a very important dimension that we are really discussing is about.
20:21So energy transition is important,
20:23but is industrial transition also equally important?
20:26And that's where the entire ecosystem of renewable energy industry lies today.
20:31Just take for an example of wind energy ecosystem.
20:35Most of you have seen a wind turbine.
20:37It consists of towers, blades, gearboxes, generators.
20:42It has the complex power systems, protection systems.
20:45So every activity, every motor, every generator you produce in need jobs.
20:52So therefore, there is an equal amount of industrial transition that is going to happen
20:56when we keep on adding the manufacturing ecosystem of wind,
21:00whether it's solar or whether it's even the battery energy systems
21:03and the generators for hydropower as well.
21:05So every gigawatt you add, every megawatt or gigawatt you add,
21:10you need people.
21:11You need trained people.
21:13Wind energy, believe me, is such an engineering marvel
21:16that there is no engineering stream left
21:20which is not considered in designing a wind turbine system.
21:23Be it civil to electronics to quantum engineering to computers,
21:28every engineering field is utilized in a wind turbine
21:33right from manufacturing to installation.
21:35And similar is the cases in others.
21:37So we are in the era of such beautiful engineering marvels
21:43and therefore jobs, which we are talking about is an important element.
21:48So going forward, I think as we add on gigawatts,
21:51as we add on megawatts, there are going to be jobs created.
21:56The only thing that we all need to do is to inculcate that syllabus
22:01in our engineering systems or engineering colleges
22:04to ensure that renewable energy becomes a main part of our engineering curriculum.
22:09Whether it's engineering, whether it's ITIs or whether it's diplomats,
22:13I think the entire ecosystem of renewable energy should be taught
22:17and I am sure I think many of the servers speaking about many young minds are here
22:22and I think their minds should be ignited towards or inculcate towards the renewable energy deployment.
22:26And as Sujlan, you know, we have almost 1.6 gigawatt of installations in this state alone.
22:32One third of what Andhra Pradesh today produces wind is what we are contributing to and we are partnering with.
22:39We have equal amount of aspirations and we are working on with the help of the state government
22:44to really kick on additional 2 gigawatts in near future
22:48and we are working with the state governments and we are getting that support.
22:50So, to answer Nidhi, your question, I think we are in a very interesting phenomenon or a particular phase
22:57where while switching to the energy transition, green energy transition,
23:02we are also ensuring that a proper industrial transition happens.
23:08Mr. Dhingra, what are your thoughts on how is, you know,
23:12how effective as an employment generator is the renewable sector?
23:17Right.
23:18So, Dineshji already mentioned some of it, but I will just add that
23:21in the whole value chain of renewables, we see a generation side first.
23:27There is, from the conception of a plant to bidding to O&M,
23:32there is at least a thousand job creation over a three-year period on a construction side.
23:40And then, of course, so the O&M phase of a plant runs for around 25 years.
23:44So, leave aside the manufacturing, the generation side only creates so much local jobs.
23:49And the thing about Andhra Pradesh and there is enough amount of engineering talent
23:56at all levels which is available.
23:59So, the local availability of labor and also the trained manpower at various level of skill set
24:07plus the local vendor is what attracts you to a particular state in terms of setting up a generation plant
24:15because getting people from outside is not sustainable.
24:18So, it is very important to have the engineering colleges, the training centers and your own industry is also doing
24:26its bit.
24:26We are also doing our bit in terms of creating these training centers and our own training colleges.
24:33Now, on the manufacturing side, India has done lots in last seven, eight years in terms of creating manufacturing jobs,
24:40be it in the solar manufacturing, be it in the wind manufacturing.
24:43Now, we are seeing a lot of movement on the other advanced valuation of the manufacturing side.
24:53In terms of the support jobs this creates, you know, this is the sector which consumes the maximum amount of
24:58financing.
24:59In terms of the overall infrastructure deployment,
25:02Renewable has taken the largest share of financing of infrastructure if you look at the balance sheet of various banks.
25:08So, there are a lot of support jobs which are created in non-related sectors which are also attributable to
25:14renewable energy.
25:15And as we grow, there is a lot of new jobs in AI forecasting and of course new streams like
25:23energy management system,
25:25battery management systems and various manufacturing streams which are coming up like battery manufacturing as we grow more and more
25:33into it.
25:33So, I see that this is the field which touches all aspects of engineering as Dineshji mentioned.
25:40So, and this is an application of most of these fields of engineering.
25:44So, we see that it touches almost every engineer or any other specialist in its field.
25:52So, we see that this is a sector which will absorb a large amount of trained manpower
25:57and it has the scope to provide employment on a sustainable basis and actually you feel good because you are
26:04doing good for everything.
26:06You are creating value for shareholders, you are creating value for the environment and that's what makes it far more
26:12sustainable.
26:16Mr. Boka, what do you see internationally?
26:20What is the experience?
26:21Do governments work with industry and as Mr. Jagdala has suggested that we should align our, you know, professional courses
26:31with the requirement of the industry?
26:34Do you see internationally what is the experience?
26:37Do governments work this closely with the industry, get the demand that they think is what is required?
26:45How does it work?
26:46Yeah, well, we are seeing an industrial zone.
26:50Actually, you know, the minister earlier was talking about end-to-end and this element of working as an ecosystem
26:57is really a critical one.
26:59So, if you take an industrial zone, here we have been starting working with the Kakinada cluster, right?
27:05So, if you think an industrial zone, you have a lot of companies, you have a port in this case
27:09and so on.
27:10But often, they don't necessarily work together on optimizing what I will say in a second.
27:17Often, they are just selling to each other.
27:19So, what we have seen globally is that some of these clusters have started thinking more about,
27:25okay, how we optimize jobs, growth in terms of GDP, water consumption optimization and emission reduction.
27:33And so, we have seen and we are starting seeing globally this movement of this industrial zone trying to optimize
27:41for the country
27:43as opposite to optimize for a single company.
27:47That is bringing also more productivity, so also more profitability, but together with more jobs.
27:53And so, the two are not one of the opposite or the other.
27:56It is actually, there is more efficiency in the system that creates more jobs, but also less emission.
28:02An example is share energy infrastructure.
28:05Another example is when a company is producing heat, another company is using that heat for some of their processing.
28:12So, it is really thinking in a different way.
28:14And this is where the local government and the government play a critical act that is the one to enable
28:21and is sometimes also pushing this economic zone to work together
28:25for the interest that is both collective and individual.
28:28So, we have seen that happening and there are really a lot of synergies and that is why we are
28:33glad also to work here in Andhra with Kakinada and hopefully with other clusters
28:37where this can happen more broadly with optimization, as I was saying, of those four dimensions.
28:44Emission reduction, reduction in the water consumption, increase in GDP and increase in jobs.
28:52To the Minister, what is your feedback mechanism?
28:56It has been two and a half years at power.
28:59Is there a feedback mechanism when it comes to, since jobs was a huge promise that TDP wrote to power,
29:07is there a feedback mechanism?
29:09Also, the industry leaders, the people have just given you a feedback that, you know, maybe you need to align.
29:18Is there a feedback mechanism that you have?
29:21How much on track are you in your, on your promise of generation of jobs?
29:29Is the feedback mechanism there?
29:31Absolutely.
29:32All the leaders on the dais know how easy I am to reach.
29:36And I was just sharing with Kuldeep that I'm like the Dolo 650 that you have,
29:41you forget it till you don't have a headache and then you use it.
29:45So, that's my job in the government.
29:47You know, any industrialist who has a problem, we're here to fix it.
29:51And the idea is how can I, how can that fix be institutionalized and not just about one company or
29:56one project.
29:57And that's been our approach.
29:58That's how, we've come a long way in resolving a lot of the renewable issues.
30:03The companies that have issues, we've come a really long way in resolving a lot of issues.
30:07And we intend to clear everything up in the next six months so that we'll be, we'll have a clear
30:12trajectory as a sector now to leapfrog.
30:15That's one.
30:16Two, in terms of job creation, we made a promise of two million jobs in five years.
30:20So far, we've been able to create half a million jobs.
30:23And this is across sectors, starting with agriculture, cement, all the way up to quantum computing.
30:29So, across sectors, we've been firing.
30:31And the idea is how can I, how can these 25 clusters take shape in its true sense?
30:37And that is what is setting us apart from competition.
30:42And the reason I believe that as a state, we're able to attract investments is also low cost of energy.
30:49If you look at our commercial tariff, we are far cheaper than our peers.
30:54And I believe we can do even better.
30:56Because when I look at developed economies, they've all become developed economies on low cost of energy.
31:01And I believe that that is one strategic advantage that India today has.
31:06So, we have all the renewable energy developers on the dais.
31:09And then you have the government.
31:11And if you look at, you know, we buy energy at about four, four and a half rupees.
31:15But then, we're spending almost two and a half rupees in the transmission.
31:19My single question is, where are we doing it?
31:22How can we become even more efficient?
31:25So, this is a conversation we also have with the cabinet saying that,
31:28how can we reduce energy cost by a rupee?
31:31That is huge.
31:32That is 12,000 crores of energy cost reduction.
31:36Imagine the impact it will have on domestic consumption.
31:39The impact it will have on industrial consumption.
31:41So, that is how I believe that the state should play a very important role.
31:45From one, on one side energy security, on the other side low cost of energy.
31:50That's when I believe that it's a win-win.
31:53And the entire ecosystem will actually come through.
31:56Mr. Parag Sharma, when renewable energy developers go to a state, what is the experience?
32:04Is there like a lot of pressure on developers in providing jobs to local youth?
32:09And is the industry and the skill levels of this local youth at par?
32:18So, if you look at Andhra, so the last six, seven months, there has been almost 1500 megawatt of capacity
32:28which has been added.
32:29And more than half of that, around 800 megawatt has been added to rooftop solar.
32:34So, in that sense, that's the sector in the entire renewable value chain which creates most of the jobs.
32:41So, they are focusing on the right thing.
32:44And obviously, manufacturing is the second leg which will create a lot of jobs.
32:49Though we both, most of us on the dais are from the IPP segment, I would say that yes, investments
32:55will be big.
32:56Supporting industries will be there.
32:58But IPP segment, large scale IPP segment may not create so many jobs.
33:03So, if the job is the key aim, then focus should be more on rooftop, the Kusum scheme, which is
33:12the agriculture scheme, the manufacturing.
33:15Those segments in the entire renewable value chain will be very helpful for Andhra.
33:23Jobs, so it's very important for me.
33:25I would like to add, while I agree with Parag Ji on one side, I also beg to disagree on
33:30the other side.
33:30See, my point is, why can't we look at it end-to-end?
33:33For me, the IPPs are important.
33:35For me, the wind companies are important, right?
33:39The Suzulons of the world are important.
33:41So are the battery energy storage systems important.
33:43But for me, it's important to actually go back all the way to manufacturing.
33:47So Suzulon here has a facility in Andhra Pradesh, and the beauty of what they've done, as soon as this
33:52government came in,
33:54I asked them to adopt an ITI, and they adopted five.
33:57They gave the curriculum, they gave the equipment, then we executed.
34:01And 50% of their maintenance workforce are women.
34:05Women from that village who's gone on to earn a living.
34:09So maintenance is just one part.
34:11But think about now, battery energy storage systems.
34:15Companies are seeing demand in Andhra Pradesh, best demand.
34:19Now they want to manufacture in Andhra Pradesh.
34:21From aggregators, we are now moving to material sciences.
34:24So the idea is, how can we look at it end-to-end?
34:27Again, it comes back to the ecosystem feeling.
34:29The idea is, how can we attract all these investments into one state?
34:33And that's been our approach.
34:35And that's how I believe that we are able to differentiate to other states.
34:40So what I wanted to understand, when you said, when they came here, we asked them to adopt five ITIs.
34:47Looking at it from my point of view, a journalist's point of view, it looks like a very patchwork kind
34:52of an approach.
34:53Right?
34:54When somebody comes, you say, you adopt five ITIs.
34:58Has the government ever thought of streamlining this process and introducing it, a very basic idea, in a contract?
35:06Or probably including this kind of, since you go by region by region.
35:13You say that I develop my state, I look at this thing.
35:16You know, certain areas and then I develop and I set up my industry like that.
35:22So, do you think it makes more sense to include it in your curriculum?
35:27And since you are very much involved.
35:30So, why do you, I mean, why should you tell a company to do adopt five ITIs?
35:39I know, Kuldeep.
35:40Can I take a first stab at that?
35:42Go ahead, Lokesh Gaurav, if you don't mind.
35:43So, I don't think actually the government should be instructing companies.
35:48I'll give you an example.
35:49So, a company like us today announced a 8,000 crore investment in a compute factory in Kurnool district.
35:57And while there is no pressure from the government, I think it is our responsibility to ensure and ask ourselves
36:06the question,
36:06what are we doing for the local populace?
36:09So, for instance, along with the investment announcement today, we've announced three specific initiatives.
36:15First, is with our partner United Way of Hyderabad to improve and upgrade infrastructure in local Anganwadis and primary schools.
36:25Second, with our partner Pratham to run local skilling programs, both for local ITIs and engineering colleges for jobs in
36:36the compute factory kind of industry.
36:37And third, for the compute factory to provide free compute facilities to the scientific research colleges in the state of
36:48AP so that they can also benefit.
36:50So, I think it is, along with investment, everyone really as citizens of this nation, we have this responsibility to
36:56think that what are we doing for where we are going?
37:01What are we doing to be good neighbors?
37:03Like, you know, just if we moved into a new apartment, we think about, oh, let's go and meet our
37:07neighbor and offer them a cup of tea and be nice to them.
37:10In the same way, if we are bringing an investment into a region, we need to think about these things.
37:15The other thing, Nidhi, I'd like to add on jobs in renewables, it's very important to think about where are
37:22the jobs being created.
37:23So, if you look at solar and wind power investments, everywhere in India, they are in the more impoverished areas
37:31where the agricultural land has very little value because it's poor quality of agriculture.
37:36So, in the state of AP, most of those investments are in Raya Sima, which is the more lower GDP
37:42per capita part of the state.
37:44Otherwise, it will be in Kutch, it will be in Rajasthan.
37:47These are states which desperately need jobs.
37:50You know, there are not going to be a huge number of factories which move there.
37:54So, construction jobs and renewables, maintenance jobs and renewables is very, very valuable to the local economy.
38:02We were speaking earlier, Kuldeep.
38:04I think, I'll take a stab at this also because jobs, jobs and jobs, the most important thing for me.
38:10See, Nidhi, if you look at it, I agree with you that it might look like patchwork, but I believe
38:15it's a start.
38:17And what I'm looking at the industry is actually to go all the way up to research.
38:22So, the reason I'm saying this is we have approached this problem with a cluster-based solution.
38:28If you look at it, the cluster will have all the component manufacturers that will make a windmill or a
38:35solar panel or a battery energy storage system.
38:37But, horizontally, what's very important is the education system, the curriculum, the pedagogy, the testing facilities, the certification facilities, the
38:50research facility.
38:51So, what all the players on the DAIS are enabling me to do is build a center of excellence in
38:56IIT Thirupati, where we are actually going to do energy transition, energy research.
39:01We want to understand from starting from material sciences to AI on how do you ensure that the blades catch
39:08the optimal amount of wind to get a better PLF.
39:121% increase in PLF is enough to pay off my loans good 2-3 years ahead of time.
39:17So, that is the kind of work we need to do.
39:21Is it patchwork? Yes.
39:23But, I believe it is important.
39:24And I'm not just doing with the renewable energy sector.
39:29I'm doing this with cement.
39:31I'm doing this with material sciences.
39:33I'm doing this now with automotive sector.
39:37With the Kias, with the Isus.
39:39I'm doing this with even the two-wheelers.
39:42The Royal Enfield has announced that they're going to put up a facility in Andhra Pradesh.
39:47I'm already working with them.
39:49Give me the curriculum.
39:50Let me understand it better.
39:52So that our curriculum can be closer to what the industry requires.
39:56Because, honestly, globally, we are struggling with a skill gap.
39:59And no country has solved this problem.
40:01Let's be honest with each other.
40:02No country has solved this problem.
40:04The only way I believe we can solve it is grab the hands of the industry and say,
40:07come, let's work together and my colleges are open, my universities are open.
40:11Let's build it out together.
40:13And that's the approach I've been taking.
40:15Because if I or my vice-translers think that they know it all, we are absolutely wrong.
40:21We are absolutely wrong.
40:22This is a sector that's changing rapidly.
40:25I'm sure, you know, the leaders can say battery energy storage system is, like, transforming every five years.
40:31So if I have to catch up to the transformation, one, I need to do research.
40:35Two, I need to work very closely with the industry.
40:43So what, Kuldeep, I wanted to ask you was, yes, we spoke earlier about your initiatives and clean mats and
40:50how you're coming here.
40:53You mentioned your social welfare initiatives of the company.
40:59What I wanted to ask was, rather than leaving it to the goodness of heart of a corporate player, should
41:06the government put it as an essential mandatory condition in your contracts?
41:14I think it is.
41:15As a nation, we do have a CSR requirement under law.
41:20Right?
41:20So it is already there.
41:23What that has done is created a pool of CSR budgets in corporates.
41:28And we know how they are spent.
41:30In the sense, again, coming to this patchwork question, what I meant was, since you are doing it in this
41:36project, do you think every project needs that the moment you step into a territory,
41:43do you think that you need to develop the area, take the people and work on their skill levels?
41:50Because in our case, for CleanMax, we have learned over time that thinking about the local community and being a
42:01good neighbor at the very start is very important for the success of both project implementation as well as continued
42:10on the ground running.
42:11Right?
42:12So it is very, very important to do it.
42:13And I would wholeheartedly support any move by the government, just like we are doing in MOU, to ask the
42:20question.
42:21It cannot be a law necessarily, but to say, what are you doing for the local community is a very
42:27good thing to get done.
42:29Because otherwise there will be some amounts of people feeling, oh, I got left out, I got left behind.
42:35This new big project came to my village.
42:37I did not get any benefit out of it, or my community did not get any benefit out of it.
42:42So that question, I think, is very fair.
42:45And I must say we have inculcated it in our thinking over time.
42:49And it is a win-win.
42:51It is not entirely, you know, it is not entirely to be a good citizen.
42:56It is also to ensure that there is local support for the project.
43:01You know, that really does matter.
43:04Nidhi, another point which I thought of mentioning was, see the industry, this is a very peculiar industry where the
43:13concentration of jobs is not in a particular location.
43:16See the Andhra state, see the variety of sites from the northern to the southern region.
43:21As we keep on growing, the diversity in getting the jobs from every village to village is much higher.
43:28Whether it is wind, whether it is solar, I think that is a very important point when jobs are created.
43:34That is number one.
43:35Secondly, consider only wind energy ecosystem.
43:38I am talking of India basis today.
43:40There are more than 2,500 SMEs and MSMEs involved into wind manufacturing sector.
43:47So you put any single plant, whether it is a blade manufacturing plant or a generator or control electronics or
43:52any manu...
43:53The overall supporting ecosystem is much more becomes...
43:57And that is why the economy of India becomes much stronger.
44:01Jobs went into rural areas, the rural economy becomes stronger.
44:04And once you conceive a particular project, the kind of ancillary industry that gets created...
44:11You know, you ride from a hotel restaurant to a vehicle requirement industry.
44:15There are enough jobs that get created and entrepreneurs probably will be excited to see that whenever a project starts
44:22erection,
44:23there is a huge number of opportunity that comes in, including the local raw material supplies as well.
44:28So it is a very, very, I can say, economy which, you know, renewable energy supports and that is why
44:34I was talking.
44:34It is an industrial energy transition.
44:38So we will wrap up this panel discussion with your closing thoughts, all of us here.
44:45What is on the wish list of the renewable energy developers and the government?
44:50One line, what would you say?
44:52We will start with Kuldeep here because he always comes last whenever I am asking.
44:57Why don't we begin with you?
44:59What is on your wish list?
45:03I think my dream is to see an India which is fully green because I am always afraid of the
45:09question.
45:09I know my grandchildren will ask me that you guys screwed up the planet, you guys screwed up the climate.
45:14Did you do enough?
45:15And I must admit that as much as we are one of the largest players, we spend, you know, tens
45:22of thousands of crores annually in new renewable energy capex,
45:25I think we are not doing enough.
45:26So I wish jointly we can do a lot more.
45:33I see there is a huge gap between the target set for renewables in Andhra versus where we are actually.
45:39And that is a very good opportunity to ramp up capacity addition in Andhra.
45:44Two years is a very short time in our sector to let the things happen.
45:49But we are seeing good developments in areas around Anandpur and Karnool.
45:54And only request here is that those who are not executing and those who are not converting Jio's into real
46:00execution,
46:01immediate action from the government will really help.
46:04We are really very short in terms of hardly 15 gigawatt being done while target is 160.
46:11If we have to remain close to 160, we need to take immediate action on these things.
46:18Roberto, we will come to you and we will come to the minister in the end.
46:22So, sure.
46:26So, in terms of two asks from my side, in terms of offtake of renewable energy,
46:31a new kind of energy, the RTC like Parag mentioned or the battery energy storage system.
46:36So, whatever reduces the cost of power, the procurement of that should be prioritized in terms of new forms of
46:44contract
46:44or whatever the demand is of the state.
46:46We are ready to provide a customized form of power as well because, as Parag mentioned,
46:51the renewable energy is capable of supplying whatever form of power is required.
46:55So, more and more aggressive procurement of it, if it makes sense.
47:00Of course, it makes sense.
47:01We know that.
47:01But state should also go after it proactively.
47:05And secondly, on the land, of course, reconciling the G02 active is again, Parag mentioned a right point.
47:11But other than that, the government land allotment which we have seen happening very aggressively in Rajasthan and Gujarat
47:18which has aided the development of renewable energy in those states.
47:21So, there also if we can see any identify large land parcels which could be taken up for institutional sort
47:30of development.
47:32So, that will really help do it in a shorter time frame than what we are able to do
47:36because there are fertile lands and we need to balance the requirements of various stakeholders.
47:42So, a help from government on this front will really help take it off on a shorter time frame.
47:52So, I actually echo with Parag.
47:55First is execution.
47:56We all need to speed up the execution process.
47:59Second, my request to the Honorable Minister would be to see that while we have that end goal of 160
48:06gigawatts,
48:07there will also be certain procurement from the utilities.
48:10So, if that clarity year-on-year is being met, I think it will help the industry also to plan
48:15its activities.
48:16And third, sir, today we saw a presentation about how the artificial intelligence data hubs, data centers load is going
48:24to come up.
48:24So, we all need to be prepared to meet that data center energy requirements.
48:29You mentioned about 80% and that's the challenge that you have thrown to us,
48:33that we need to now live to your expectations to make projects happen that will power Andhra Pradesh's clean energy
48:40requirements for a data center hub.
48:42That's my three things.
48:44So, I have two things, but of course I don't have the expertise and I have no request for the
48:49Minister.
48:50Although, Minister, I saw you taking note, so you are taking note of all these requests.
48:53Let's see next year at which point we are in this development.
48:56But I'm very hopeful, and this is my second point.
48:59What I heard also in the first part of the conversation is a topic that I heard very strongly also
49:04in Davos in January last,
49:06well, this year, last January, and was this convergence, and the Minister, you referred to it somehow,
49:11the convergence between digital technology and energy technology.
49:15I'm really inspired by the competence of your, I call it digital minister, also in energy.
49:22And this is really the inspiring, and this is where I think your state can go, is really bringing these
49:28two pieces together.
49:29Because it's an end-to-end, it's supply, but it's also demand, it's all the ecosystem around the industrial, the
49:35jobs, and all what we've said.
49:37And so, this opportunity to converge and use the technology to optimize all the energy system is unique,
49:45and I really think that here you are into something.
49:53Roberto, in Andhra Pradesh, one year is too late.
49:57So, a year later, then we'll all be out of a job if you don't move.
50:01But I think, Nidhi, if you just, if I've heard all the panelists right, sense of urgency.
50:09You know, starting with what kind of planet are we leaving behind for future generations to,
50:15the sense of energy to get things, sense of urgency to get things done.
50:20This is where, again, speed matters.
50:23Yes, in the past, allotments have been done, and then certain companies,
50:29so these were allotments done way back, almost a decade old.
50:34And they are companies that have had challenges executing.
50:38So, if you look at it as a state, we've already carved 50% of their allotment,
50:42and we've given it out.
50:44And the rest 50% is given to them with a condition that they'll execute in a stipulated time.
50:49Saying that, today, we signed with Kuldeep and the GEO, if he reads in details,
50:54the MOU, but the GEO, once he gets it, if he reads in detail,
50:57we'll say you have six months.
51:00So, today, all our government orders has a poison pill which clearly states,
51:05if we don't start the project in six months, this GEO stands cancelled.
51:11Because we don't want people to squat.
51:13You know, as our friend has just shared, you know, this is the challenge.
51:17Our ambition is clear.
51:19A lot of allotments have been taken.
51:21But for various reasons, they're finding it a challenge to execute.
51:25We are clear that we want to move on.
51:27And we are clear that aggressively, we want to target this, you know, the 160 gigawatt mission that we've taken.
51:34Government land allotment, I think the point is clear.
51:36If you look at Gujarat and Rajasthan, they have a lot more non-agriculture land than Andhra Pradesh does.
51:42But saying that we are unlocking it, we are educating the farmers or the landowners that this is a viable
51:48opportunity for them to actively consider.
51:51Wherever government land, of course, is there, we've been very proactive.
51:53And all that land is transferred to NETCAP, which is a government body, and then onward to the institution in
52:00a very transparent manner, if I may, as a state.
52:04So, the feedback is quite clear.
52:05And the last point, I think, which is very important, is to also quickly start working on the green corridors.
52:11Because the energy demand is in VISAG, while green energy is all in Rael-seema.
52:16So, the evacuation lines, the green corridor is paramount.
52:20And that's something that government of India has also recognized.
52:23But I think, if I can sum everything up, it is sense of urgency to get this done as of
52:29yesterday.
52:30And I believe that all the partners, WEF on one side as a knowledge partner, of course, government, the industry
52:35together, I think we can accelerate.
52:38And a year from now, when we sit here on this dais, we'll have something tangible to show.
52:42And we're not just doing 5 gigawatts of renewable energy, but 15, 18, 20 gigawatts of renewable energy being executed
52:49in the field, and the proof is in the pudding.
52:55Thank you so much.
52:56You all have been a spectacular panel and on a very highly technical subject.
53:01I'd request the Minister to please step forward and present mementos and shawls to our panelists.

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