The Future Of Renewable Energy In India

India has made significant strides in recent years to strengthen its energy sector. The country is successfully balancing the twin goals of increasing electricity demand and promoting sustainability. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that emerging and developing economies will account for 85% of the increase in global electricity demand over the next three years.

In a conversation with Abhinand Basant, Deputy Managing Director of Kshema Power, we learned about the company's strategic alignment with India's ambitious renewable energy goals. From supporting the world's largest domestic rooftop solar initiative, PM Surya Ghar Yojana, to their exciting new global ventures in NEOM, Basant offers a clear vision for Kshema Power's role in shaping India's clean energy future. He delves into the company’s plans for scaling execution capacity, its commitment to sustainability, and the policy shifts needed to propel the sector forward.

Q1. With India setting ambitious targets under initiatives like PM Surya Ghar Yojana, how is Kshema Power aligning its strategy to support these national goals?

With the government's ₹75,000 crore investment targeting one crore households by 2027, this has become the world's largest domestic rooftop initiative. Our strategy directly supports these ambitious targets through enhanced focus on residential rooftop solutions, streamlined installation processes, and partnerships with local distribution networks. We're expanding our service footprint to reach tier-2 and tier-3 cities where the scheme's impact will be most transformative. We ensure that families may easily accept solar energy by streamlining the customer onboarding process and offering complete maintenance packages. The government's commitment is reaffirmed by the recent 80% budget increase to ₹20,000 crore in the Union Budget 2025, and we are expanding our operations to fulfil the unprecedented demand for residential solar solutions.

Q2. You have already delivered solar and wind projects across multiple states. Are there any new geographies or projects in the pipeline that you are particularly excited about?

Our experience with solar and wind projects in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh has been quite rewarding. We are now excited about going global, beginning with the projects in NEOM and the UAE. The construction of a green hydrogen plant in NEOM, a forward-thinking city in the Tabuk Province, is a landmark project. Our role involves constructing the wind turbine foundations, handling everything from reinforcement and concreting to shuttering and curing. The scope for Phase 1 includes 65 turbine foundations, with preparatory work underway for Phase 2. Additionally, we are actively bidding for multiple solar projects across these regions in collaboration with leading Indian partners to cater to regional and international independent power producers (IPPs). These developments reflect our focus on strengthening our global footprint in the renewable energy sector while maintaining our commitment to quality, precision, and timely delivery.

Q3. Looking ahead, what is your vision for Kshema Power’s role in India’s renewable energy roadmap over the next 5–10 years?

Over the next five years, our focus is on scaling execution capacity to more than 1 GW of wind EPC projects annually, ensuring that projects move rapidly from development to commissioning. With over 10 GW of cumulative experience and a strong development team, we aim to contribute over 30% of the country’s annual wind energy deployment, aligning with India’s goal of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030. Our strategy is rooted in execution speed, precision engineering, and leveraging our decades of expertise to help India meet its renewable energy ambitions.

Q4. How do you ensure sustainability and minimal environmental impact in the development of wind power projects?

In wind power projects, sustainability and environmental protection are embedded into every stage of development. We start with careful site selection, ensuring projects avoid ecologically sensitive zones and engaging local communities to minimize social impact. The design phase focuses on optimizing turbine placement to reduce land use, noise, and shadow flicker, while encouraging co-use of land for farming or grazing. During construction, we adopt low-disturbance methods, responsible waste and water management, and maximize local workforce participation. Once operational, we rely on predictive maintenance, noise and wildlife monitoring, and use of biodegradable lubricants to minimize ongoing impact. At end-of-life, turbines are designed for modular dismantling, blade recycling, and complete land restoration. By following global standards such as ISO 14001 and IFC guidelines and integrating biodiversity protection and circular economy practices, we ensure wind projects contribute to clean energy goals with minimal environmental footprint.

Q5. From your experience, what policy shifts or infrastructure upgrades would most benefit India’s wind energy sector, and how is Kshema contributing to those conversations?

India’s wind sector would benefit greatly from policy stability, faster approval processes, and long-term tariff visibility, which can attract stronger private investments. Equally important are infrastructure upgrades—particularly grid modernization and transmission expansion—to address evacuation challenges in high-wind states. Support for hybrid models combining wind, solar, and storage will also maximize resource utilization. At Kshema Power, we contribute to these conversations by sharing on-the-ground insights with industry bodies and piloting innovative project models that balance growth, sustainability, and community needs.