Challenge of climate change bigger than one nation, one state, one individual: CII Eenrgy Conference

Bengaluru: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Karnataka on Friday organised its annual flagship energy conference on the theme 'Integrated Renewable Energy System for Sustainable Future' to promote adoption and integration of renewable energy sources into the existing energy infrastructure.

The conference focused on key facets of the sector including renewable energy integration, alternative energy technology aiming at net-zero, energy storage solution technologies and best practices on energy conservation measures from industries.

Addressing the conference, Vijaykrishnan Venkatesan, Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council and Managing Director, Kennametal India Ltd, emphasised the significance of the sector, considering the intensifying focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), energy efficiency and ethical and responsible sourcing of energy.

Highlighting the Karnataka State Vision document charted by CII and IIM Bangalore, he said that building a green ecosystem has emerged as a priority and the state is already a forerunner in various aspects relating to this vision.

The conference provided a platform for the stakeholders to deliberate and contemplate on promoting the adoption and integration of renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, and emerging energy technologies, into the existing energy infrastructure.

“The challenge of climate change is bigger than one nation, one state and one individual. We must all come together to innovate and collaborate to find the solutions and business models that our world needs. Karnataka has been one of the leading states in the country driving energy transition with adoption of renewable energy," N Venu, Vice Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council and Managing Director and CEO, Hitachi Energy India Ltd said.

"As we accelerate the energy transition to meet the ambitious goals of a net-zero future, we must explore new technologies, new ways of thinking and business models,” he said. He also stressed that there were commendable efforts from the policymakers and the industry towards augmenting clean energy generation capacities.

"Proactive collaboration is necessary to further bring more investment and focus toward building a strong transmission and storage infrastructure, ensuring our grid infrastructure is ready to meet the growing energy demand," he added.

K P Rudrappaiah, Managing Director, Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL) highlighted the initiatives taken up by the department to create a conducive ecosystem and promote the sector’s growth in Karnataka.

He also spoke about various schemes and policies by the department that could be beneficial for the industries and attract investments in the sector.

The speakers at the conference highlighted the objective of the state’s energy mission, aiming at accelerating the transition to a clean energy future and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

They also emphasised on the need for stakeholders to capitalise on the state’s electrical vehicle and energy storage vision, as increased green consumption could contribute to the city’s reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

They also stressed on the need for integration of renewable energy and power to achieve carbon neutrality and how this would fast-track the state’s mission of being a front runner in energy efficiency.