The recent Coaltrans India conference held in Goa from the 26-28 Feb, 2024 served as a gathering for industry leaders to exchange insights and delve into the latest trends in the coal sector. Among the distinguished speakers, Kush, CEO of Essar Power, played a significant role in two panel discussions and as a keynote speaker at the event, offering valuable perspectives and expertise to the discussions. His participation highlighted the significance of the event as a crucial platform for discussing key issues and developments within the industry.
During his participation in the panel discussion focusing on the Indian thermal coal market, Kush was accompanied by esteemed panelists, including Sareena Patel, Associate Director of Thermal Coal at McCloskey by OPIS (a Dow Jones Company); Pawan Kumar, Head of Coal Sourcing & Logistics at SEIL Energy India Limited; Prantik Dasgupta, Country Director for India and Vice President of Business Development at Coeclerici Far East, Singapore; Sabyasachi Mishra, Business Head at JSW International Tradecorp; and Rajat Handa, Vice President of International Trade at Agarwal Coal Corp Singapore Pte Ltd.
Kush talked about India’s reliance on domestic coal to meet its fundamental energy needs, particularly amidst the country’s ambitious economic growth objectives. He emphasised the importance of diversifying the energy mix to include domestic & imported coal, energy storage systems, hydro power, renewables, and nuclear sources to effectively address the nation’s increasing energy demands.
Furthermore, Kush shed light on recent government initiatives promoting coal gasification, highlighting significant subsidies aimed at fostering this technology. Kush also highlighted Prime Minister Modi’s agenda to position India as an energy exporter, primarily through the adoption of green hydrogen technologies.
In addition to his participation in the panel discussion, Kush served as a keynote speaker addressing the power sector outlook. He elaborated on the transformative changes underway in the Indian energy sector, outlining ambitious plans for the future. Kush discussed projections indicating substantial market growth, driven by investments in infrastructure development and renewable energy capacity expansion.
He emphasised the government’s targets for renewable power capacity and energy storage, as well as the focus on reducing carbon intensity and increasing non-fossil fuel energy within the total energy mix by 2030. Low cost hydrogen production using low cost renewable RTC power from new technologies in the form of Concentrated Solar Power and Thorium based Small Modular Reactors were highlighted as key focus areas to propel clean energy exports and position India as a global leader in renewable energy.
On Day 2 of the event, Kush participated in a panel discussion focused on Green energy: successes, challenges, and pitfalls. Joining him were Devendra Arolkar, Director at Mohit Minerals Ltd; Saloni Sachdeva Michael, Energy Specialist at India Clean Energy Transition, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis; Karthik Ganesan, Director of Research Coordination at the Council on Energy, Environment, and Water; and Brajesh Kumar, Senior Vice President of Business Development & Commercial at Apraava Energy.
During his discussion, Kush delved into India’s renewable energy aspirations for 2030, with a particular emphasis on solar and nuclear energy. The dialogue highlighted the need to address various hurdles, including technological advancements, policy frameworks, and investment strategies.
Kush also discussed Essar’s diversified involvement across different sectors, including coal, combined cycle, solar energy, pumped storage power (PSP), battery manufacturing, and solar PV module manufacturing. He hinted at potential expansion into the nuclear energy sector pending favourable government policies.
The conversation accentuated the importance of leveraging indigenous technologies, such as small modular reactors, and exploring export opportunities, especially in hydrogen-related downstream green molecule ventures. Achieving a balance between different energy sources and deployment strategies emerged as a key factor for successful attainment of renewable energy goals.
Kush’s participation in the Coaltrans India conference showcased Essar Power’s commitment to driving innovation and sustainability within the energy sector, while also contributing to India’s energy transition journey.