Que: How do you assess the current state of India’s renewable energy sector, particularly in terms of growth across solar, wind, hybrid, and storage segments? What trends have emerged in the sector over the past year concerning project development?

Ans: India’s renewable energy sector is in a decisive growth phase, with momentum shifting from scale to sophistication. The country has added nearly 86 GW of renewables in the past five years and close to 25 GW in the first half of FY25 alone. With about half of its installed capacity now coming from non-fossil sources, India has firmly established itself as the world’s fourth-largest renewable generator.

Over the past year, the biggest trend has been the accelerating shift toward hybrid, RTC, and storage-linked projects as the market recognises that the next 500 GW must deliver reliability, not just capacity. Co-located storage, advanced forecasting, digital O&M, and predictive maintenance are increasingly becoming standard practice. Corporate procurement is also rising sharply, with CPPAs and VPPAs on track to expand from 12 GW in 2023 to nearly 100 GW by 2030.

ENGIE’s India portfolio is now 2.68 GW, strengthening its role as a long-term partner in enabling India’s 500-GW clean energy ambition and accelerating the shift toward firm, future-ready renewable power.

In India, we aim to contribute 7 GW by the end of the decade, driven by our purpose: to accelerate the transition towards a carbon-neutral economy through reduced energy consumption and more environmentally-friendly solutions, whether through water-free robotic cleaning at our Bhadla plant, real-time analytics through our Fleet Performance Diagnostic Centre, or embedding storage in future project designs, the focus is squarely on delivering firm, predictable, and digitally intelligent power. We are building for long-term performance, grid resilience, and value creation. Our ambition aligns with India’s net-zero goals and ENGIE’s global target of 95 GW renewable and storage installed capacity by 2030.

Que: What do you see as the next major opportunity area for renewable energy developers in India? How do you see the economics of these new opportunities evolving, especially in terms of tariffs, viability, and investor interest?

Ans: The next major opportunity for renewable developers in India sits at the intersection of hybrids, corporate decarbonisation, and digital intelligence; each of these is beginning to reshape both the economics and the operating model of the sector. India is moving decisively from capacity addition to RTC, and that shift is making storage-backed hybrid systems the backbone of future procurement.

As the country prioritises round-the-clock and firm renewable power, the early economics are already improving: storage costs are declining steadily, revenue-stacking models are gaining traction, and utilities are beginning to value deliverability over the lowest possible bid. This will gradually bring storage-linked hybrids closer to parity with conventional standalone renewables, particularly as policy frameworks standardise and scale increases.

ENGIE has secured 280 MW of battery storage in Gujarat, expanding its India portfolio to 2.68 GW, with the GUVNL project marking ENGIE’s entry into utility-scale storage in the country and strengthening its role in India’s clean energy future.

An equally powerful opportunity is emerging on the corporate side. India’s corporate procurement market is expected to grow nearly eightfold by 2030, driven by price certainty, global ESG commitments, and the need for dispatchable green power for energy-intensive operations such as data centres, steel, and cement. As bankable VPPA structures mature and open-access clarity improves, the economics of corporate decarbonisation will only strengthen, attracting long-term investors looking for contracted, resilient cash flows.

The third and often underestimated opportunity lies in digital operations and maintenance. Predictive analytics, remote fleet diagnostics, and robotic cleaning are already improving asset uptime and reducing O&M costs, making each installed megawatt more productive and more bankable. ENGIE is positioned across each of these growth engines. Our global ambition of 10 GW of battery storage by 2030 is informing our storage-linked development strategy in India, while our hybrid pipeline is shaped by global experience in integrating solar, wind, and storage at scale.

On the commercial side, our dedicated Supply & Energy Management vertical is enabling clients to secure clean power through Virtual PPAs, green-attribute monetisation, and portfolio optimisation solutions that go far beyond generation.

ENGIE’S digital ecosystem; including real-time fleet visibility and intelligent operating models ensure that our assets deliver consistently high performance in diverse Indian conditions.

Que: Digital intelligence is becoming the next big differentiator in renewable energy — from predictive maintenance to AI-driven hybrid dispatch. How is ENGIE applying technologies like predictive analytics, remote monitoring, and digital O&M to impr

Ans: Digital intelligence has moved from being an operational enabler to the core of how modern renewable fleets are run, and that shift is very intentional for ENGIE. Our Fleet Performance Diagnostic Centre (FPDC) is the anchor of this approach.

It monitors assets in real time across geographies, using predictive analytics to identify anomalies early, schedule interventions proactively, and prevent avoidable downtime. This has materially improved plant availability and strengthened performance consistency across our portfolio.

We are also embedding AI-driven forecasting and hybrid dispatch models into our operating framework. These systems analyse weather, demand, and grid behaviour to optimise generation and dispatch hour by hour; not only reducing curtailment but also enabling more predictable, grid-friendly renewable power. It is a critical capability as India moves toward RTC and FDRE procurement.

On the ground, automation is redefining efficiency. Robotic cleaning in water-scarce regions, remote diagnostics, and digitally enabled O&M workflows are helping us deliver reliable output while cutting resource intensity. Together, these digital layers—predictive maintenance, intelligent dispatch, and automation are transforming our sites from traditional renewable plants into intelligent energy assets designed for India’s next phase of growth.

Que: As India scales from 200 GW to 500 GW of renewables, workforce capability will be as critical as technology. How is ENGIE investing in skilling and safety to build a future-ready talent pipeline for large-scale hybrid and storage projects?

Ans: As India scales from 200 GW to 500 GW of renewables, the sector will need not just more megawatts, but a workforce capable of managing increasingly complex, hybridised, and storage-heavy systems. At ENGIE, our long-term vision is to stay ahead of this shift by nurturing a talent pipeline that is technically adept, digitally fluent, and deeply rooted in sustainability. Our learning programmes are aligned with the evolving demands of solar, wind, hybrid configurations and digital O&M, with a sharp focus on real-world outcomes. Our skilling approach is strengthened by strategic partnerships. Through our collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), we are training grassroots solar talent across Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, while partnerships with NGOs and global sustainability networks help mainstream green practices and community engagement across project sites. These alliances have already translated into employee-led sustainability initiatives and meaningful on-ground interventions.

We are also expanding our green talent roadmap to develop next-generation capabilities in hydrogen, energy storage, and smart grids. This includes specialised technical modules, collaborations with institutes, innovation-focused learning, and structured mentorship under Individual Development Plans that promote cross-functional growth and future-ready expertise.

Safety remains central to our approach. In 2025, we delivered 33,000+ training hours and achieved over 30 million safe man-hours. This culture of safety is matched by a deep emphasis on digital capacity building, ensuring our engineers and field teams are equipped to manage the operational demands of hybrid, RTC, and storage-integrated assets with precision and reliability. Together, these investments ensure ENGIE is preparing not just for the next phase of India’s renewable growth, but for the workforce that will sustain it.

Que: ENGIE often speaks about its ‘community-first site’ model. What does that mean in practical terms, and how does it change the way renewable projects are built and operated?

Ans: ENGIE India’s commitment to community empowerment goes far beyond business, it’s about building futures. Through our strategic partnership with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), we have successfully trained over 600 youth across Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. This initiative not only equips young individuals with job-ready skills but also connects them directly with employment opportunities in the renewable energy sector. In April 2024, we hosted a Job Fair and Felicitation Ceremony in Bikaner, celebrating the achievements of these trainees and facilitating direct engagement with industry leading recruiters.

Our impact is tangible, 80 percent of our project workforce is recruited locally, reinforcing our belief in inclusive growth and sustainable livelihoods. We don’t just train; we empower. Our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts also extend to education, health, and well-being. A recent example of this commitment is our support for Shree Kundaliya Pagar Kendra School in Taluka VAV, Gujarat. Located near our Electro Solaire project, the school serves 400 students and needed a safer, more weather-proof space for outdoor activities. We addressed this by constructing a protective shed that provides shade and safety for learning and play—strengthening local education infrastructure while building community resilience.

ENGIE also supports a beekeeping initiative in Tamil Nadu’s Ayyalur forest villages, helping local women build sustainable livelihoods by training them in native bee cultivation while strengthening biodiversity and community resilience.

At ENGIE, CSR is a core part of who we are. By embedding social impact into our operations, we are not only transforming energy systems but also transforming lives.