Roundtable Conference on Green Energy
12 July 2025
Conference Hall 2, India International Centre, New Delhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a speech said, “India is fully committed to building a cleaner, greener planet. We were the first among G20 nations to meet our Paris Agreement commitments on green energy, well ahead of schedule. While we continue to strengthen existing solutions, we are also focused on embracing new and innovative approaches”. The transition to green energy represents an urgent global imperative, necessitated by the pressing need to tackle climate change, meet rising energy demands, and reducing the environmental degradation associated with fossil fuel consumption. The intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has affirmed that limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels requires a rapid and systemic transformation of the global energy sector.
International frameworks, such as the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underscore the critical role of renewable energy in achieving long-term environmental sustainability and socio-economic resilience. Globally, India ranks 4th in renewable energy capacity and has committed to achieve 50 per cent of its total energy capacity from renewables by 2030 and has set up an ambitious target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030. It is noteworthy to mention that India increased its renewable energy capacity by 250 per cent between 2014 and 2021.
As nations reassess and restructure their energy strategies, there is an increasing consensus that renewable energy is not only essential for reducing carbon emissions but also for ensuring energy security and supporting sustainable economic growth. Despite advances in solar and wind technologies that have reduced costs and improved efficiency, structural and infrastructural challenges persist. Integrating renewable energy into national grids requires substantial upgrades, including advancements in energy storage, smart grids, and AI-driven energy management systems.
India, as one of the world’s largest and most energy-intensive economies, has undertaken significant measures to position itself at the forefront of the global transition to renewable energy. Coal still represents about 60 per cent of its power mix. The country has launched several initiatives to accelerate renewable energy deployment and energy efficiency. Complementing these efforts, the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-Reliant India Movement) focuses on building domestic manufacturing capabilities in renewable energy technologies. India has also prioritised the advancement of bioenergy through its National Biofuels Policy, aiming for 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025. It also has initiatives like solar cities and parks, National Green Hydrogen Mission, the Green Energy Corridor, PM-KUSUM scheme, and PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, National programme on High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, introducing electric vehicles, slowing doing away with subsidies on selected petroleum products and encouraging investment in solar energy.
In 2023, renewable energy attracted nearly 70 per cent of global power sector investment. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) projects that this sector could generate over 85 million jobs worldwide by 2030, presenting a massive economic opportunity. Through collaborative efforts and innovative solutions, the green energy transition can mitigate climate change, enhance energy security, and drive inclusive economic growth. India has set ambitious targets to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070.
The urgency of this roundtable is underscored by the growing global demand for renewable energy and the clear need to move away from fossil fuels. The Roundtable aims to identify the key barriers and enablers of green energy adoption and propose actionable strategies to overcome them. The Roundtable would analyse following few key questions:
The roundtable will bring in experts, policy makers and industry practitioners to brainstorm the challenges that India faces as it prioritises transition to green energy that will have a transformative effect on climate change.