Climate Rising Tata Power and India's Energy Transition: Balancing Growth and Decarbonization
Dec 10, 2025
Praveer Sinha, CEO of Tata Power, is driving India's largest private power company towards net-zero by 2045, focusing on renewable resources and smart grids. Vikram Gandhi, a Harvard Business School professor, discusses the complexities of balancing energy growth with decarbonization in India. They touch on engaging customers as prosumers, employee reskilling initiatives like Project Daksha, and the transformative role of technology in energy management. The discussion highlights how these strategies can create long-term value while addressing urgent climate challenges.
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Scale Makes India’s Transition Unique
- India's infrastructure is largely unbuilt, so absolute emissions will rise even as intensity falls.
- Energy transition must balance rapid growth with decarbonization at national scale.
Set Ambitious Net-Zero Targets
- Commit to an earlier net-zero target and align investments across generation, storage, and supply.
- Design strategies that integrate intermittent renewables with storage and demand forecasting.
Short-Term Returns Versus Long-Term Security
- Short-term returns from distressed thermal assets compete with long-term decarbonization goals.
- Energy security and domestic coal availability complicate rapid coal phase-down decisions.