India Sees Strong Renewable Energy Manufacturing and Export Potential, Says MNRE Official at SPDA Meet

New Delhi, India – India’s renewable energy sector holds considerable promise for expanding domestic manufacturing and boosting export opportunities, the Secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Santosh Kumar Sarangi, said at the Annual Meet of the Sustainable Projects Developers Association (SPDA) held in New Delhi. Sarangi highlighted that clean energy will play a crucial role in supporting India’s economic growth and energy security as the country advances toward its long-term development goals.

Addressing policymakers, industry leaders and stakeholders at the event, Sarangi said that strong growth in renewable capacity, distributed energy solutions, and digital-enabled electricity systems is reshaping India’s energy landscape. He reaffirmed that clean power, including solar and wind, will be vital in sustaining high levels of economic expansion and meeting future electricity demand, especially as sectors like artificial intelligence (AI), data centres and the Internet of Things (IoT) increase their energy requirements.

The MNRE secretary outlined how India’s renewable sector is evolving beyond traditional utility-scale projects. Growth is expected across distributed energy models, green open access frameworks, and prosumer participation, where consumers both use and produce electricity. Sarangi noted that rooftop solar installations and energy storage solutions are gaining momentum, with potential to change how energy is consumed and traded in local markets.

He pointed to emerging trends such as hybrid renewable systems and storage-integrated projects that better match supply with demand, a development seen in recent renewable energy tenders issued by major national agencies. Sarangi also urged electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs) to adopt an electricity-as-a-service approach, leveraging digital technologies like satellite mapping and smart monitoring to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.

The secretary emphasised that manufacturing renewable energy components — such as modules, cells and associated equipment — will be key to reducing import dependency and strengthening India’s position in the global clean-energy supply chain. With supportive policies and investment incentives in place, the sector has the potential not only to meet domestic demand but also to serve international markets, boosting exports of renewable technologies.

Sarangi further stressed that transmission planning and grid infrastructure remain essential, given that renewable capacities are concentrated in specific regions while major centres of electricity use are spread across the country. Addressing these technical challenges will be critical to integrating a growing share of clean power and sustaining long-term growth in both manufacturing and deployment.

The SPDA Annual Meet served as a platform for dialogue on policy direction, investment priorities and collaborative solutions essential to India’s energy transition and industrial competitiveness in the renewable sector.