GELS opens new chapter in multi-state and global cooperation on energy policy

The Global Energy Leadership Summit (GELS) on Thursday marked the beginning of a long-term platform designed to facilitate structured dialogue between energy leaders from various Indian states and national and international experts. Held in New Delhi, the event brings together policymakers, industry representatives, researchers, and global specialists to address evolving challenges in the electricity and clean-energy sectors, organizers say.

Officials emphasize that the summit aims to create a recurring space where stakeholders can exchange expertise, shape policy frameworks, and promote collaborative strategies to support India’s transition to low-carbon growth. The event also seeks to harmonize state-level priorities with national ambitions as India moves toward meeting its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.

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A Forum for Sustained Policy Conversations

Speakers at GELS state that India’s energy landscape is at a pivotal moment, with states making key decisions on renewable capacity additions, grid modernization, and distribution-sector reforms.

They say the summit helps bridge communication gaps that often arise because energy governance in India is shared across federal and state authorities.

Participants from state power departments, regulatory commissions, and distribution companies attended sessions focused on grid reliability, financing structures, renewable procurement models, and emerging technologies such as green hydrogen and battery storage.

International energy experts from Europe, the Gulf region, and East Asia contributed perspectives on cross-border electricity trade, long-term decarbonization planning, and the evolving economics of solar and wind integration.

Organizers say the summit will now be held annually, with interim working groups expected to continue discussions throughout the year.

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Why a Long-Term Platform Was Needed

Energy officials point out that India’s electricity demand is rising rapidly—driven by population growth, urbanization, digital infrastructure, and industrial expansion.

Central Electricity Authority (CEA) projections estimate peak power demand may cross 325 GW by 2030, up from about 243 GW in 2024. This growth, experts say, requires coordinated planning across procurement, transmission, and distribution to prevent shortfalls and ensure reliability.

Many states are also in different phases of transitioning to renewable energy. While Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu have surged ahead in solar and wind adoption, others are working through financial and structural hurdles that limit investment flows.

Analysts say the absence of a dedicated, long-term platform for sharing knowledge has sometimes led to fragmented strategies and inefficiencies. GELS is expected to address these gaps by creating a stable, recurring mechanism for pooling technical knowledge, policy insights, and project experiences.

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Focus on Clean Energy and Climate Targets

The summit places significant emphasis on India’s 2070 net-zero target and the interim milestone of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil-fuel power capacity by 2030.

Experts note that reaching these goals will require accelerated deployment of renewable energy and major upgrades to transmission networks, including green corridors and high-voltage lines for interstate power transfer.

Panel discussions also highlighted the need for robust policy reforms to strengthen the financial health of discoms, which remains a central challenge.

According to the Ministry of Power, distribution companies account for nearly 80% of financial stress in the power chain, often due to tariff gaps, high AT&C losses, and delayed subsidy payments.

GELS participants argue that effective collaboration between states and central authorities can help streamline reforms, harmonize regulatory frameworks, and encourage private-sector investment in clean energy infrastructure.

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Global Experts Bring Perspective on Technology and Policy

International delegates shared insights on emerging technology solutions and regulatory models that have succeeded in other regions.

Experts from the European Union discussed advances in demand-response programs, cross-border energy pooling, and offshore wind grid integration.

Representatives from the Middle East highlighted the rapid scaling of solar parks and the role of transparent procurement mechanisms in lowering renewable energy prices.

Analysts from Japan and South Korea outlined strategies for scaling green hydrogen and ammonia as future fuels.

Participants say these insights help India evaluate which global models could be adapted to local conditions, particularly in transmission planning, market-based economic dispatch, and long-duration storage technologies.

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Industry Leaders Stress Investment Opportunities

Private-sector representatives at the summit emphasized the need for stable policy environments to attract capital into renewable generation, energy storage, electric mobility, and grid services.

Industry leaders say clear, long-term planning signals from states can reduce investor uncertainty and accelerate project execution timelines.

Financiers and asset management firms participating in GELS noted increasing global interest in Indian clean-energy markets, driven by competitive solar and wind tariffs and supportive government policies.

However, they also underscored challenges—including land acquisition, grid congestion, and regulatory delays—that require cooperative problem-solving between states and implementing agencies.

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A Step Toward Harmonizing India’s Energy Vision

Policy analysts at the summit say the new platform offers an opportunity to align state-level energy decisions with national goals.

States control key aspects such as land allocation, distribution frameworks, and renewable procurement methodologies, while central bodies provide financing mechanisms, standards, and market reforms.

GELS, participants say, gives these actors a common forum to compare approaches, resolve differences, and develop best practices that can be replicated across regions.

Some experts caution that collaboration must be backed by follow-through and transparent evaluation. They recommend establishing metrics to track renewable adoption, grid expansion, and financial improvements in discoms.

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Looking Ahead: What GELS Could Mean for India

Energy leaders say that the platform could reshape India’s long-term planning by fostering continuity between successive policy cycles.

Working groups formed during the summit are expected to address storage deployment, cross-state power trading, regulatory harmonization, and digitalization of grid operations.

Observers note that if GELS sustains momentum, it may influence future policy reforms under the National Electricity Plan and support India’s positioning as a global clean-energy hub.

Officials emphasize that the summit is not an isolated event but the start of an evolving process.

They say its success will depend on active state participation, robust technical discussions, and the ability to convert policy recommendations into actionable measures.