Que: At present, the biggest challenge is perhaps ensuring energy security in a turbulent world, which is exacerbated by the ongoing conflict in Western Asia involving Iran, Israel and the US. How can India diversify its energy mix and ensure energy security?

Ans: In today’s turbulent geopolitical environment, particularly in energy-sensitive regions like West Asia, Hartek Power underscores that energy security has evolved into a strategic imperative for India. Diversifying the energy mix will require a calibrated approach scaling domestic renewable energy at pace, strengthening conventional generation for baseload stability, and significantly investing in transmission infrastructure, storage, and grid modernisation.

As renewable penetration increases, the focus is shifting from capacity addition to system integration, reliability, and flexibility. I strongly believe hybrid energy models, storage solutions, and smarter grids will be critical in managing intermittency and enabling round-the-clock power. Equally important is reducing import dependency through domestic manufacturing and supportive policy frameworks – this is the key to building long-term energy resilience.

In line with this shift, Hartek Power is significantly expanding its footprint in the rooftop solar segment, with a clear ambition to emerge as one of India’s leading installers and extend access to clean energy across a wider customer base. This is expected to play a critical role in accelerating decentralised energy adoption and advancing decarbonisation efforts.

Simultaneously, the company is working closely with leading developers to build and strengthen the grid infrastructure required for efficient evacuation of solar and wind power. By focusing on grid stability and integrating digital power solutions, Hartek Power is addressing one of the most critical challenges in renewable energy integration. These strategic initiatives reflect Hartek Power’s commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions and supporting India’s transition towards a low-carbon future, positioning the company as a key enabler in the country’s evolving energy landscape.

Que: Many critical components for power projects are imported. For example, in the renewable sector, we are dependent on China for critical upstream components for solar and BESS. How can India work on attaining self-sufficiency to some extent?

Ans: India’s dependence on imports, particularly for solar modules, cells, and battery storage technologies, remains one of the most critical vulnerabilities in the clean energy transition. This challenge becomes even more pronounced as the role of storage grows. According to industry estimates, India will require investments of nearly INR 1.4 lakh crore in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) by 2030 to support renewable integration at scale.

To address this, we need to build a strong and integrated domestic ecosystem from raw materials and cell manufacturing to power electronics and system integration. It’s not just about scaling manufacturing capacity, but also about investing in R&D, innovation, and technology development.

At Hartek Power, we are contributing to this shift by strengthening capabilities in power electronics and system integration, while supporting the development of resilient infrastructure for renewable and storage projects. A calibrated approach combining domestic capacity building with strategic global partnerships will be essential to reduce import dependence while ensuring competitiveness and access to cutting-edge technologies.

Que: What are the biggest execution challenges in building the transmission, substation, and evacuation infrastructure needed for the clean energy transition? And, what would be the best way to address these?

Ans: As generation capacity, especially renewables, is scaling rapidly, the development of transmission, substations, and evacuation infrastructure remains one of the most complex and execution-intensive aspects of the energy transition.

From my experience, some of the biggest challenges include land acquisition and right-of-way issues, especially in densely populated or environmentally sensitive areas. Additionally, fragmented regulatory processes and multi-agency approvals often lead to delays. There’s also a coordination gap at times between developers, transmission utilities, and state agencies, which can result in misalignment between generation capacity and evacuation readiness.

To address these challenges, I believe we need more integrated planning across the value chain. Transmission development should be aligned with renewable capacity right from the start. Hartek Power emphasises the need for integrated planning across the value chain, ensuring that transmission development is aligned with renewable capacity addition from the outset. Single-window clearance mechanisms, standardised policies, and faster approvals will be essential to reduce delays.

The company also underscores the growing importance of digital project management tools, modular construction techniques, and advanced engineering solutions to improve execution efficiency. Strengthening public-private partnerships and enabling greater private sector participation in transmission projects will further accelerate infrastructure development.

Que: The demand is clearly moving towards hybrid and round-the-clock renewable energy. What role will BESS and smart grids play in ensuring a reliable supply as RE penetration increases?

Ans: As India moves towards hybrid and round-the-clock (RTC) renewable energy solutions, the focus is shifting from capacity addition to ensuring reliability, flexibility, and quality of power supply. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are emerging as a critical enabler in this transition. Hartek Power address the inherent intermittency of solar and wind by storing excess generation and dispatching it during peak demand periods, thereby enabling firm and dispatchable renewable power. BESS also plays a key role in providing ancillary services such as frequency regulation and grid stabilisation.

At the same time, smart grids are transforming how power systems are managed. With the integration of AI, automation, and real-time analytics, smart grids enable dynamic load balancing, demand forecasting, and predictive maintenance. This significantly enhances grid responsiveness and reduces inefficiencies.

Hartek Power believes that the convergence of storage and digital grid infrastructure will be fundamental to scaling RTC renewable energy. Together, they will enable a more resilient, adaptive, and intelligent power system capable of handling high renewable penetration.

Que: How is Hartek as a company poised to drive India’s transition to renewable energy? Are there any upcoming diversification plans, such as new business verticals or collaborations in emerging energy sectors?

Ans: Hartek Power is strategically positioned as a key enabler of India’s clean energy transition, with deep expertise in power systems, substations, and grid infrastructure, which are critical for integrating renewable energy into the grid. Over the years, we’ve built strong execution capabilities across utility-scale and distributed solar, including rooftop solar, which has been a key part of our portfolio since 2015.

What is evolving now is our sharper focus on next-generation energy solutions. A good example is our recent EPC win for a 280 MW solar project integrated with a 320 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). This kind of project reflects where the industry is headed towards hybrid, storage-backed renewable energy that can deliver reliable, round-the-clock power.

In terms of diversification, we are actively strengthening our capabilities in energy storage and hybrid energy solutions, as these will be critical to managing intermittency and ensuring grid stability at higher renewable penetration levels. I believe HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) will be a game-changer for India’s energy transition. Given that renewable-rich regions are often located far from demand centres, HVDC enables efficient long-distance transmission of large volumes of power with significantly lower losses, making it critical for grid stability and national energy security.

From a diversification standpoint, our approach is very focused. We are expanding into energy storage, hybrid energy solutions, and next-generation transmission technologies, all of which complement our core EPC strengths. At the same time, we are open to strategic collaborations to bring in advanced technology and scale faster.

Overall, our goal is to move beyond being just a solar EPC player to becoming a holistic clean energy solutions provider, enabling a more reliable, flexible, and future-ready power ecosystem for India.

Que: As you step into the role of Chairman for ELECRAMA 2027, the flagship event of IEEMA, what will be your key priorities for driving growth and strengthening India’s electrical equipment industry?

Ans: As I step into the role of Chairman for ELECRAMA 2027, the flagship event of the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association, my focus will be on strengthening the electrical equipment ecosystem to support India’s energy transition, with electrification as a key pillar of energy security.

I also see accelerating grid expansion and modernisation as critical. With India targeting 500 GW of renewable capacity, proportional investments in transmission infrastructure, smart grids, and digital monitoring systems will be essential to ensure reliability and efficient power delivery.

Another key area for me will be strengthening domestic manufacturing and enhancing the global competitiveness of Indian electrical equipment manufacturers. This includes improving quality standards, scaling production, and positioning India as a hub for next-generation electrical technologies. MSMEs will play a vital role in this journey, and enabling their access to technology, finance, and global markets will be essential to making them future-ready and globally competitive.

Finally, I believe innovation and digital transformation will define the next phase of growth. The increased adoption of smart grids, automation, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics will significantly improve efficiency, enable real-time decision-making, and support large-scale renewable integration.