Energetica India Magazine March - April 2026

moves smoothly fromwhere it’s made to where it’s stored and final - ly to the people who need it. Q What lessons can India draw from global energy markets that are already integrating large volumes of renewable energy with storage? Stuti Kakkar: Several global energymarkets offer valuable lessons as India scales renewable deployment. Firstly, nations with high renewable penetration have confirmed that energy storagemust operate like strategic infrastructure rather than an optional extra. Markets like the United States, parts of Eu- rope and Australia are moving increasingly to invest in long-dura- tion storage alongside existing assets for grid resilience. Second, policy and market mechanisms matter. Across the ad- vanced world, these markets have introduced capacity markets, storage incentives and grid services payments, making storage de- ployment financially compelling. Finally, grid modernisation and digital forecasting tools are key. Advanced forecasting allows operators to predict renewable output and deploy storage more efficiently to balance the grid. India has the advantage of learning from these experiences and de- signing its energy transitionwith storage embedded into the system from the outset, rather than adding it later as a corrective measure. Q As an iron-air storage innovator, how is Meine Electric contributing to advancing long-duration energy storage solutions in India? Stuti Kakkar: Meine Electric specialises in revolutionary iron-air batteries for long-duration storage. Our iron-air batteries utilise cheap and abundant materials such as iron, so they are ideal for large-scale and low-cost deployment. Whereas classical lithiumbatteries performexceptionallyover short periods, iron-air batteries shine when it comes to energy storage over extended periods. With the ability to charge within ~6 hours – aligned with periods of solar surplus – and discharge over 16–24 hours, iron-air technology is optimally positioned for deep solar integration. Additionally, the projected LCOS of INR 2.5–3/kWh over multi-day cycles makes it a highly cost-effective solution for long-duration storage. Our goal is to enable renewable energy to become a truly depend- able power source by ensuring that surplus energy can be stored and delivered whenever the grid needs it. By advancing iron-air technology in India, we aim to contribute to building affordable, scalable, and domestically developed long-du- ration storage infrastructure that can support the country’s renew- able energy ambitions. Q As a woman leader in this space, how do you see the role of women evolving in shaping India’s clean energy tran- sition? Stuti Kakkar: The energy transition represents one of the largest opportunities for economic growth and wealth creation in the com- ing decade. It is estimated that India’s energy transition alone could attract over USD 10 trillion in investments by 2070, and create millions of new jobs across manufacturing, deployment, and oper- ations. We simply cannot afford to leave half the population out of this opportunity. At the same time, clean energy is one of the most exciting frontiers for innovation today – spanning areas like storage, green hydro- gen, and decentralised systems. Encouragingly, we are seeing more women step into roles across engineering, research, policy, and en- trepreneurship. However, representation remains uneven – global- ly, women make up only about 22 percent of the energy workforce, with even lower participation in technical and leadership roles in India. The energy transition is not just about new technologies; it is also a chance to make the industry more inclusive and diverse from the ground up. Diverse teams are proven to performbetter – companies with gender-diverse leadership are up to 25 percent more likely to outperform financially and they bring varied perspectives that are critical for solving complex challenges like climate change and ener- gy security. While progress has been encouraging, there is still a lot of work to be done in ensuring the representation of women in technical and leadership roles across the clean energy sector. Expanding access to STEMeducation, strengtheningmentorshipnetworks, and creating more inclusive workplaces will be key to increasing participation. Ultimately, the goal is not just to have more women in the sector, but to ensure they are actively shaping technologies, policies, and business models that will define India’s clean energy future. WOMAN INFLUENCER 64 energetica INDIA- Mar-Apr_2026