IEEMA Launches 4th Edition of World Utility Summit at ELECRAMA 2023

The third day of ELECRAMA 2023, the biennial electricals and electronics showcase of the Indian Electrical & Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA), saw energy leaders from across the globe in attendance for the highly anticipated 4th World Utility Summit (WUS) at the India Expo Mart, Greater Noida on February 20. The inaugural ceremony was graced by the presence of Chief Guest Shri Alok Kumar, Secretary, Minister of Power and Guest of Honour Shri Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson, CEA along with Mr. Rohit Pathak, President, IEEMA; Mr. Vikram Gandotra, Chairman, WUS 2023; Mr. Jitendra K Agarwal, Chairman, ELECRAMA 2023 and several other dignitaries.

Serving as a global forum for utilities to deliberate changes, and brainstorm probable ideas and solutions to negate future challenges, the 4th edition of the WUS saw industry leaders share their insights and expertise pertaining to this year's theme 'Sustainable Transformation of Utilities'.

Alok Kumar, Secretary, Minister of Power, said, "In the world of technological advancements, our dependence, both as citizens and as industry, on utility across sectors continues to increase. Today, electricity has emerged as an integral contributor to the development of a nation and also our daily lives. Thus, the need for new technology and ideas to transform energy for a more sustainable future has become imperative. Amid an increasing percentage of global energy consumption, I feel the 4th edition of WUS will provide us with the much-needed platform to brainstorm and deliberate on a future roadmap for a sustainable transformation of utilities."

Ghanshyam Prasad, Chairperson, CEA, said, "Over the years, ELECRAMA continues to stress on the need for smart grids. When electricity was recasted in 2003, we focussed primarily on three core areas - generation, transmission and distribution. But, today, given the climate change challenges and ever-increasing consumption of energy, there is an imminent need for smart solutions. The 15th edition of ELECRAMA, with over 1000 stalls and 70% of the products made in India, is not only pushing us in the direction of sustainability but also contributing to the economic growth of the country. Amid the changing market trends and challenges to innovation across sectors, we, going forward, must nurture India's start-up ecosystem and inspire youngsters to accelerate the energy transformation process."

Rohit Pathak, President of IEEMA, said, "The electricity ecosystem is undergoing an unprecedented transformation with the proliferation of renewables, distributed generation of resources and electric vehicles on one side and consumer activism and regulatory pressures on other. That's why we need sustainable transformation of utilities which is also the theme of this year's summit. At the behest of WUS, we're trying to bring thought leaders across the world to deliberate the preparedness of utilities to deal with the transformational changes."

Vikram Gandotra, Chairman, World Utility Summit (WUS), said, "In what was initially conceptualized to enhance communication between utilities and other stakeholders, WUS has come a long way to carve its niche as one of the vital platforms where the global utility leaders continually engage in dialogue and exchange information. And, this year's edition is no different. With regulators, technology providers, consultants, government bodies and utility leaders all under one roof, the WUS continues to deliver on its mission of facilitating fruitful conversations that will help shape the future roadmap of utilities. Having representations from different countries this year, we, over the next two days, will deliberate upon 6 critical themes covering key utilities."

With participants from across the globe, the two-day summit will witness the release of six knowledge papers formulated by eminent knowledge partners for aiding Utilities and other segments. The knowledge papers were released on six themes - accelerating the digital journey of the energy ecosystem, best practices in asset management, enhancing the utility system resiliency, distribution utilities of the future: advanced technologies for business transformation, sustainable practices towards net zero utilities and new energies.

The ongoing 15th edition of ELECRAMA is the largest public showcase yet of industry innovations by IEEMA with over 1000 exhibitors from India and abroad from February 18th to 22nd, 2023. With over 700 buyers from around 75 countries and more than 300 domestic buyers, exhibitors are showcasing a myriad of technological innovations covering the complete electricity ecosystem from generation, transmission, distribution, power electronics, renewables, e-mobility, automation, and power storage.

Apart from the 2023 edition of the WUS, the five-day congregation will also showcase the world's largest confluence of power transmission and distribution communities at the 5th Reverse Buyers Sellers Meet (RBSM) and Domestic Buyers Sellers Meet (DBSM). The mega event will also be seen focusing on the role of women in the industry, building stronger electrical systems for homes, offices, and industries, and enabling discussions on the way forward for complete electrification of railways. Digital technologies, IoT and AI-powered electrical systems, and other smart-tech solutions are being showcased at the event.

Completing 33 years of being the only industry platform of its kind, ELECRAMA 2023 is supported by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Power, Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, and Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises.