An overview of the work done by Ratul Puri in the field of renewable energy

India’s energy transition is usually discussed in terms of renewable power, electric vehicles, battery storage and green hydrogen. However, there is another important part of this shift that deserves attention: the raw materials required to develop these technologies. As countries compete for access to critical minerals, strengthening domestic resources is becoming an important part of India’s long-term energy and economic plans. The Padhar Platinum Group Elements (PGE) block in Madhya Pradesh is relevant in this context. A group company of Hindustan Power has been awarded a Letter of Intent for the block, which covers around 200 square kilometres. The area is prospective for platinum group elements and also contains zinc deposits, making it an important area for further exploration. The importance of the project extends beyond the minerals themselves. Platinum group elements are used in several technologies associated with the energy transition, including hydrogen production, fuel ce...

India’s power sector is undergoing a period of change. Renewable energy is expanding rapidly, electricity demand continues to rise across different sectors, and the country is adapting to a more diverse mix of power generation sources. Amid these changes, dependable generation capacity remains important for maintaining a reliable electricity supply. This is the wider context in which Hindustan Power’s proposed 2×800 MW transitional power project at Anuppur, Madhya Pradesh, assumes significance. The proposed Phase II development has received the required environmental clearance, marking an important step in the project’s progress. For a project of this scale, environmental clearance provides a framework for addressing key considerations, including emissions, water use, land requirements and waste management. These factors form part of the development process alongside the infrastructure and operational requirements of the proposed power plant. The Anuppur project builds on Hindustan P...

India added more than 54 GW of renewable energy capacity, marking significant progress in its clean energy transition. However, a considerable amount of renewable electricity was curtailed due to grid security concerns and transmission constraints. According to Ember, 300 GWh of renewable energy was curtailed because of transmission constraints in the first quarter of 2026. This meant that the benefits of expanding renewable capacity were partly offset by the limitations of the existing power system. There were several contributing factors, including moderate electricity demand and limited storage capacity. Nevertheless, the situation highlighted an important point: renewable energy cannot be scaled effectively without modernising the grid and improving system flexibility. As India moves towards a solar-powered future, flexible storage solutions will become increasingly important. This is also relevant to the broader energy transition discussed by Ratul Puri , Chairman of Hindustan Po...

Artificial intelligence has become an important part of almost every industry, and the energy sector is no exception. At the same time, AI depends heavily on electricity to operate. Training and running AI models requires large data centres that use substantial amounts of power. This creates a close connection between AI and energy . While the growing use of AI is increasing electricity demand, the technology also has the potential to change how energy is produced, distributed and consumed, helping create a more reliable, affordable and sustainable power system. Ratul Puri, Chairman of Hindustan Power , notes that AI can play an important role in making energy systems more efficient and stable in the years ahead. Understanding the relationship between AI and electricity will therefore be important to making effective use of the technology while supporting India's journey towards its net-zero target of 2070 or earlier. The rapid growth of AI, cloud computing and digital services has...

AI increases electricity demand through data centres but can improve grid efficiency, cut emissions, boost innovation, and support net-zero goals. In almost every industry worldwide, artificial intelligence has become ubiquitous, including the energy sector. However, AI itself needs massive amounts of energy to operate its programmes. The training and deployment of AI models requires large, power-guzzling data centres. Without electricity, AI systems cannot function. Yet, AI could potentially transform the energy industry by facilitating a reliable, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity. Ratul Puri, chairman of Hindustan Power , an integrated power generation company with a strong presence in renewable and transitional energy generation, added that “AI will play an important role in making energy systems more efficient and stable in the coming years.” Paradoxical Relationship Between Electricity and Data Centres One must understand this link to leverage the benefits of AI a...

As electricity demand continues to increase, Ratul Puri believes that integrated energy systems will become increasingly important in delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable power across India. India’s power sector is undergoing a significant structural transformation. Increasing industrial activity, expanding digital infrastructure, rapid electrification, and rising energy consumption are reshaping the country’s electricity demand. Peak power demand has reached unprecedented levels and is expected to rise further as manufacturing, artificial intelligence, data centres, and electric mobility become increasingly important contributors to economic growth. The scale of this transformation is already visible in India’s electricity demand. According to the Ministry of Power, the country recorded an all-time peak electricity demand of 256.1 GW on 25 April 2026. This highlights the rapidly expanding scale of India’s power requirements and the need for infrastructure that can support...

This article is authored by Ratul Puri, chairman, Hindustan Power When discussing the creation of an energy-secure India, the conversation often centres around two contrasting factors. One is the country's traditional dependence on coal, while the other is its ambitious push toward clean, renewable energy . However, for a growing nation of more than 1.4 billion people, a nuanced approach is required to maintain a balance between economic growth and India's global climate commitments. Solar and wind energy continue to set new growth benchmarks, but another part of the industrial challenge remains. Agriculture, heavy manufacturing, and chemical refineries cannot operate efficiently on solar power alone because these sectors require high-temperature energy. At the same time, many clean energy components are imported, making the country vulnerable to trade disputes, geopolitical developments, and disruptions in global markets. It is in this context that India's historic coal re...