Connect | India // Debate: Powering AI workloads in India - What sustainable energy mix is realistic?

Secure your pass
  • —
  • Terminus 8 | Lobby Level
  • Energy & Sustainability
  • Mission Critical Power
  • Open Session
Emerson_Logo_CORP_4C_Standard

Speakers

Nidhi Chaudhary

Director Sustainability & Decarbonization, Emerson India

Nikhil Parate

Nikhil Parate

Head Energy & Sustainability - India, Colt Technology Services

Abhaya Gauchan

Abhaya Gauchan

Manager, Climant Impact

Dillip Guru

Dillip Guru

Executive Vice President, ESG and Energy, Sify Technologies

Masaru Yamazaki

Senior Project Manager, Senior Specialist for Executive Projects, Hydrogen Business Unit, Energy Innovation Initiative SBU, Sumitomo Corporation

AI-driven growth is accelerating power demand, raising fundamental questions about how electricity in India is generated and supplied. Renewable capacity is expanding, yet coal still accounts for the majority of actual power generation and continues to underpin grid stability. As operators explore alternatives including nuclear and hydrogen, the challenge is whether India’s evolving energy mix can provide reliable, large-scale supply while keeping pace with decarbonisation ambitions. This debate will examine whether the current balance of fuels and emerging technologies is aligned with AI-era demand, including:

  • The gap between renewable capacity additions and actual generation
  • The ability of renewables to deliver dependable 24/7 supply
  • Whether SMRs, given India’s early-2030s nuclear ambitions, are a credible option for large-scale power supply
  • Whether green hydrogen fuel cells can become a commercially viable power option
  • The tension between accelerating AI demand and decarbonisation targets