As India’s energy transition accelerates, much of the real momentum is happening at the state level, where policy meets implementation. From electricity markets and regulatory design to industrial decarbonization and green growth, states sit at the center of how policy translates into action. But what does it take to drive large scale change within these systems?

We present a special series exploring the changes shaping state-level transitions. How can incentives be aligned across institutions, political and economic realities managed, and programs designed to be both ambitious and implementable? And as clean energy becomes increasingly cost competitive, what is shaping the choices states make today?

For the first part of the series, we spoke with Neelima Jain, Director of Industrial and Trade Policy at the India Energy and Climate Center at UC Berkeley. With experience spanning consulting, government, and global think tanks, she has played a key role in shaping and implementing some of India’s most significant energy efficiency and transition efforts, including scaling up UJALA and advancing international energy cooperation.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English

Presented by 101Reporters

Neelima Jain is on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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What does it take to build companies from the ground in a novel sector in India?

In this conversation, Parag Sharma, Chief Executive Officer at Resolven (formerly Zelestra), reflects on a three-decade journey from growing up in a thermal power plant campus to building gigawatt-scale renewable businesses.

Drawing from his experience across engineering, consulting, and entrepreneurship, he explains how India’s renewable energy market matured into one of the world’s largest investment destinations. The discussion explores the forces shaping the sector today, from global investor confidence and competitive bidding to the evolving balance between solar, wind, and battery storage.

As India races toward ambitious clean energy targets, the conversation also looks ahead: what will define the next generation of renewable companies? From disciplined bidding and smart project development to hybrid energy solutions and emerging opportunities in green hydrogen, data centers, and AI-driven energy demand.

Mr. Sharma is the former Founder and CEO of O2 Power, previously served as COO at ReNew Power, and currently holds leadership roles as President of the Wind Independent Power Producers Association (WIPPA) and Chairperson of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Northern Region.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

Parag Sharma is on LinkedIn

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The repurposing of coal power plants is an underexplored challenge as many countries, including India, strive to achieve net-zero targets. Some countries in the Global South, such as South Africa, have more experience with coal power plant repurposing than India.

To understand what Indian coal-fired power plant owners can learn from the South African experience, we interviewed Dr. Vikesh Rajpaul, General Manager, Just Transitions at Eskom Holdings SOC Limited. With over three decades of experience at Eskom—the largest supplier of electricity in South Africa—Dr. Rajpaul has worked across a wide range of functions, including renewables and research.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

Dr. Vikesh Rajpaul is on LinkedIn.

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India’s energy economy has started 2026 on both a chaotic and a promising note. Last year’s storms of trade wars and the disarray of the country’s energy supply chain have spilled into this year as well. But 2025 was also the year India crossed the threshold of 50 per cent non-fossil fuel power generation capacity and took promising steps in nuclear energy. This year has commenced with policy shifts in the long languishing power distribution sector and trade deals with focus on sustainable development.

To guide through this maze of varied developments which would impact India’s energy transition and security, we spoke with Richa Mishra, seasoned energy journalist and author. Ms Mishra has been writing on the energy sector for more than two decades and has first-hand witnessed the evolution of India’s energy sector and has covered notable milestones in her journalistic journey.

She is currently Resident Editor at Hindu Business Line. Ms Mishra also runs a podcast called Energonomics where she unpacks the developments of the oil and gas sector. Her first book Unfilled Barrels: India’s oil story published in 2022 offers a ringside view of India’s oil and gas sector from past to present.

Author page of Richa Mishra: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/profile/author/richa-mishra-10928/

Energonomics podcast by Richa Mishra: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0y1IAo9tjT5TiZmuziacoYWd8rjX6dde&si=SzrnSAEKYRy7n2dF

Unfilled Barrels: India's Oil story: https://www.bloomsbury.com/in/unfilled-barrels-9789354350283/

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

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As The India Energy Hour completes five years, the hosts come together for a special recap episode reflecting on how the podcast began and how it has evolved alongside India’s energy transition. From the early motivation behind starting the show to the moments that shaped its direction, this episode revisits key milestones from the last five years.

The hosts discuss some of the most impactful episodes and conversations, memorable guests, and how listener engagement has influenced the podcast’s journey. The episode also looks ahead to what listeners can expect in the coming year—from new themes to deeper dives into India’s evolving energy and climate trends.

A full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

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As climate risks intensify across India, state governments are emerging as critical drivers of climate action, adaptation, and energy transition. In this episode of The India Energy Hour, we explore how states can plan, finance, and implement climate action on the ground. While several state-specific models are in the works, New Delhi–based IPE Global recently unveiled a one-stop Climate Readiness Index for states. This index, which relies on tech-based tools and modelling, aims to provide authoritative guidance to states for building their climate action plans.

In this episode, we speak with Abinash Mohanty, Global Sector Head – Climate Change and Sustainability at IPE Global, to understand why such an index is needed, which states face the most urgent risks, and how sub-national plans shape India’s net-zero pathway. Mohanty has nearly two decades of experience working across government, development finance, and policy research.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

Abinash Mohanty is on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Having committed to the ambitious target net zero by 2070 and 50 per cent energy from green sources, India would need transition planning across sectors. The most important planning would be in the electricity sector which would need to decarbonise faster than any other sector. This transition would depend on India's ability to produce round-the-clock clean energy, or 24/7 carbon free energy (24/7 CFE), at cost and scale to meet the country’s rapid economic development. But it faces the challenge of grid management and conducive energy planning which would integrate renewable energy across the power systems of the country.

To understand one such model of 24/7 CFE, we spoke with Irfan Mohamed, South Asia Analyst at climate analytics nonprofit TransitionZero to delve into the concept of 24/7 CFE and why, according to TransitionZero’s modelling, 24/7 CFE planning and procurement is a ‘no regrets’ option for India’s energy planners, grid operators, and corporates. Irfan is an energy modeller and analyst with multiple years of experience in modelling electricity markets. Before joining TransitionZero, Irfan worked at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero developing decarbonisation policies for the UK.

Full transcript of the episode is available in English.

Presented by 101Reporters

Irfan Mohamed is on LinkedIn.

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Our hosts, Shreya Jai on Twitter, Linkedin & Dr. Sandeep Pai on Twitter, Linkedin