India’s solar sector must shift its focus from merely adding renewable energy capacity to building a more flexible electricity market supported by modern grids, hybrid projects and battery storage, Pratyush Thakur, Country Head (India) of Blueleaf, said during his keynote address at SolarFutures 2026: Next-Gen Solar India. He argued that the next phase of the country’s clean energy transition will depend on improving grid readiness, diversifying market mechanisms and embracing innovative business models that can unlock greater value from renewable energy assets.
The conference, organised by Sustainability Karma in partnership with the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) in New Delhi, was held under the theme Powering a Future-Ready Solar India: From Local Innovation to Global Leadership. It brought together policymakers, industry leaders and renewable energy experts to discuss strategies for strengthening India’s solar ecosystem and accelerating the country’s transition to clean energy.
Thakur began by highlighting the importance of awareness, communication and youth participation in advancing India’s renewable energy ambitions. He underscored the role of the media in spreading awareness about solar energy and called for greater efforts to share stories of renewable energy initiatives with communities that have limited access to information. Stressing the importance of engaging young people, he described them as key stakeholders whose participation and dialogue will shape the future of sustainable energy.
Turning to India’s energy transition, Thakur described solar energy as the backbone of the country’s future electricity system. While noting that coal continues to account for a significant share of India’s energy mix, he said solar has moved to the centre of the transition towards the country’s renewable energy targets. However, he argued that the industry’s primary challenge is no longer installing additional capacity but ensuring that electricity grids are capable of integrating it efficiently. He pointed to renewable energy curtailment and delays in securing power purchase agreements (PPAs) for several projects as evidence that grid readiness and market reforms must now receive greater attention.
Thakur maintained that the challenges facing the industry also create opportunities for innovation. He questioned the sector’s continued dependence on long-term PPAs, arguing that excessive reliance on conventional contracting models increases risks and costs. Drawing on Blueleaf’s experience in developing a wind-solar hybrid project in Madhya Pradesh, he explained that combining multiple renewable technologies improves grid utilisation and distributes electricity generation more evenly across the day and seasons. He also outlined the company’s merchant power model, in which electricity is sold directly into competitive markets rather than exclusively through long-term contracts. According to him, such approaches allow projects to respond more effectively to changing market conditions.
The Blueleaf executive also highlighted the growing importance of battery energy storage in enabling greater market participation. He explained that batteries can be charged during periods of low electricity prices and discharged when prices rise, improving project economics while supporting grid stability. Looking ahead, he advocated integrating multiple technologies at single project locations, adopting more flexible off-take arrangements and developing new partnership models capable of supporting the evolving electricity market.
Concluding his address, Thakur expressed confidence that renewable energy will remain one of the country’s most dynamic sectors for innovation, investment and collaboration. His vision closely reflected the conference theme—Powering a Future-Ready Solar India: From Local Innovation to Global Leadership—by arguing that India’s next stage of solar growth will be driven not only by capacity addition but also by smarter markets, resilient grids and greater operational flexibility.
