The 7th Rajasthan Energy Summit, organised here on Thursday, identified cooling as the country’s biggest energy challenge over the next decade in view of the rising use of air conditioners (ACs) and stressed the need to prioritise energy efficiency.
Speaking at the session titled “Ensuring Energy Security for Viksit Bharat: Harnessing Renewable Energy” at the summit organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Rajasthan, India Country Representative of the Global Green Growth Institute, Soumya Garnaik, said, “Cooling will be India’s biggest energy challenge in the coming decade, with rising AC use sharply increasing demand.”
Garnaik stressed the need to prioritise energy efficiency, saying, “This can reduce energy consumption by 20-30 per cent before scaling up renewable energy.
Participants in the session focused on four key forces reshaping India’s power demand: transport electrification, industrial heat, agriculture and cooking, and the rapid growth of data centres and artificial intelligence (AI).
The participants included Managing Director, Diwakar Renewable & Infra Pvt Ltd, Sunil Bansal; Managing Director, India and West Asia, Caelux Corporation, Vish lyer; and Chief Executive Officer, Vibrant Energy, Vinay Pabba.
The session was moderated by Co-Convener, Cll Rajasthan Panel on Energy and Water, and Chairman, Insolation Energy Ltd, Manish Gupta.
Another session, titled “Building Robust Energy Supply Systems: Role of AI and Digital Technologies”, explored the role of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in creating resilient energy systems.
Senior Vice President, Resonia Limited, Ninad Bhanudas Pitale, said, “With the rapid expansion of renewable energy in Rajasthan and across India, significant efforts are underway to strengthen transmission infrastructure.
He expressed confidence that coordinated efforts by the government, industry and public participation will help build a robust transmission network, accelerating the energy transition and supporting future industrial growth.
Former Chairman, CII Rajasthan, and Managing Director, Elekrolites (Power) Private Limited, Anil Saboo, said India must synchronise the growth of generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure to avoid bottlenecks that delay renewable integration while accelerating transmission execution.
He added that scaling up AI-driven and smart grid technologies, such as SCADA and automated fault systems, could enhance reliability, reduce outages and costs, and build a more efficient and future-ready power infrastructure.
Other speakers included Head – Renewables, Hindustan Zinc Limited, Himanshu Chasta; Vice President – Business Development, Indian Energy Exchange Limited (IEX), Ravi Sethi; and Territory Head (South Asia), Secure Meters Limited, Alka Sharma.
The session was moderated by former chairman, CII Rajasthan, and Managing Director, Man Structurals OP Private Limited, Gaurav Rungta.
More than 250 delegates attended the summit.