Highlights of Session with CEOs - Jaago Re Jaago
Mr Vijay Karia, Chairman, DIGIELEC BHARAT 2021 and Managing Director, Ravin Group
- The industry and the country(globally) are having exciting times along with challenges ahead.
- Electrical Industry is the fulcrum across all the industries.
- Big Business houses are focusing more on RE and their development.
- The sooner the industry wakes up for the benefit of the industry the better it will help us for the growth & improvement.
Mr Mustafa Wajid, Managing Director, Meher Group
- Interesting transitions are happening globally which are generic. Pandemic is becoming endemic. Disruption of capital flow is also happening. Economic challenges are coming.
- The key word is sustainability and fashionable word is net zero.
- India is the 3rd largest energy consumer in the world. Total energy consumption as per IEA is 900 million tons of oil equivalent. More than 75% energy is coming from Fossil fuels. This has an economical challenge. We should focus on the strengthening of our energy security, strategic interest and reduction of fossil fuels, net zero and environment issues. There are 3-4 lever as- 1) We need to rapidly grow our Renewable Energy coupled with storage/battery so that it can be despatched when in demand 2) Electrifying our transportation, Focus on EV, E mobility etc are part of it. 3) Focus on Green hydrogen business.
- The panel will answer the 4 Challenges:
- How to we make right strategic choices aligned with this emerging scenario in the electrical industry?
- How to de we get our act together where technology execution and go to market becomes a seamless movement towards each other?
- How do we nurture entrepreneurial talent and operational talent in electrical industry?
- How do we become attractive for the capital infusion from the Investors community?
Part 1 of Panel Discussion
- How to we make right strategic choices aligned with this emerging scenario in the electrical industry?
- How to de we get our act together where technology execution and go to market becomes a seamless movement towards each other?
Mr Anil Saradna, Managing Director, Adani Transmission
- Simplest way to reorient our thinking & try to see how fast we can bridge that gap. We should see from the eyes of the customer and it gives several answers that how the industry should reorient and behave.
- We should be customer centric. We should focus on the demands of the customer.
- Our energy basket has 80% molecule and 20% electricity. By 2030 we will have cleaner energy and it will have 50% electricity and 50% molecules. The quality of the power is important. So, we have to build enough infrastructure to serve cleaner energy and an eco- system to increase its demand from customers.
- Customer need water & Power but in power we should focus on RE as well as electrolyser energy which will bring down the prices.
- The electrical industry has a tall task – 1) How customer will see the benefit for him in the electricity both home & industry use. 2) The energy transition will become key for the 3 things: move to the electrical basket, move to hydrogen basket, how we really get innovation part for the competitiveness.
Mr T Madhava Das, Whole Time Director &Sr. Executive Vice President (Utilities) – Larsen& Toubro Limited
- We being and EPC are in one of the most flux industry.
- Connect between the customer and industry is important
- How can we deliver the projects on using technology and better standards and better process so delivery can be fast?
- Energy transition is important along with how the power is getting generated so timely delivery is possible.
- Technology adoption and innovation is important. Quality standards are important.
- Digitalization is important but for EPC physical execution is important. How we can improve the productivity.
- Optimisation of the execution of the project.
- Move from assembly to value added production.
- We must make industry attractive and pay higher remuneration to new talent.
- Standardisation, quality, speed and scalability is important for Indian electrical Industry to focus on.
Mr Darshan Hiranandani, Director, Hiranandani Group
- The govt should not run the discoms. The discoms should be privatised. With the new electricity act, it was promised to have privatisation.
- Competition will lead to innovation and better results. The industry will become customer centric.
- There is no free market to move ahead for the generation part as lot of regulator and approvals are required. The industries should be allowed to generate their own power.
- Everything in RE and green hydrogen requires lot of innovation. But there are challenges in transportation, storage and application of the hydrogen energy. There is a huge scope in increasing the efficiency of the electricity.
- Electrical engineers will have a massive demand as we have everything electrical. We want losses to be low, speed to be faster and energy efficiency. Also, there is demand of new talent in those organisations who are trying to solve the bigger problems. Lot of innovation demand is there in the industry now.
- As our GDP grow, people will talk about the cooling equity. We don’t just need to give house clean water, clean energy etc but people will demand the cooling and that happens during non-solar hours between 6pm to 10pm. The cooling site with housing projects extra is the massive opportunity for the mechanical industry, electrical industry, cooling industry for problem solving, for battery storage problems and for electrifications.
- Data business centre is not a massive demand source. But we need data centres to act as systems servers because of electrifications, for the working of the factories which will have the robust or Robert operated systems. The grid will not be about power supply where as it will be for quality power supply.
- We have to open up the markets like Europe but for that we need to have the security of supply as well. The security of supply has to come from India Policy level. The opening of market has to be free so that innovation can happen at a greater level.
Mr Sunil Jain, Operating Partner (Energy Transition) Essar Capital
- The new talent wants more innovation in everything. Innovation is the key to success today for the survival & growth.The brick and wall business needs to be improved in terms of innovation for attracting the new talents. We should grab the opportunities. We should have more start-ups and the new talents should be called as partners in the organisation. Big players of the industry are surviving and moving ahead with the help of new innovation only.
- Hydrogen is competing thing with Renewable energy. If we have to replace the current carbon energy to hydrogen green energy then there is lot of challenge in the quantum of hydrogen.
- We need to improve efficiency, work on micro things and innovations so that lack of resources is required for improvement as well deliver the better power.
- We are lacking the digitalization in electrical industry. We have to do everything in digital way. One world, one son and one grid are coming in big way so we need to regroup and digitalised ourselves.
- Drones are helping many industries in brick and stone work too. The drones are helping to clean the modules in solar. The drones are helping in building the panels.
- India is having great opportunity during this crises time as the walls are thicken for the outer world in terms of movement and supply physically so we have the opportunity to supply internally. The market is huge inside our country to cater. We can transform our industry. The innovation is lacking in our industry.
- The industry has to move only from electrical to electrical & electronics. There is lot of Pvt. Equity which is available in the market but for that innovation is required.
Mr Sameer B Verma, Managing Director, Nexus Venture Partners
- India is progressing exponentially and will do. So, in the generation part we need changes and for that lot of capital is required.
- Compatible software’s are required in the industry for the transmission.
- Good IT solutions in respect to digitalization is required in the industry.
- Sustained 10 years plan is required for the industry from the Govt. side.
- The primary requirement is to have ability to in the resources to develop the systems.
- Standardisation needs to be very transparent for all the players of the industry.
Part 2 of Panel Discussion
- How do we nurture entrepreneurial and operational talent in our sector?
- How do we become attractive for the Investors?
Mr Anil Saradna, Managing Director, Adani Transmission
- With the times few things become the priorities. Electricity will be sold the same way telecom was sold in terms of packages and tariffs etc.
- The way electrical industry will shape and is shaping the new talent will be enthusiastic for the working & will be enjoying the work.
- We need to make the industry attractive for the new talent.
- The electrical industry is having lot of excitement and learning.
- The capital chases where the capitalist sees the opportunity.
- Virtual reality, IOT, e-tire transmission systems, being operated in one location with disaster recover in another location- digital transformation has blurred the boundaries. So, lot of excitement and opportunity is there.
The transformation and transition are with 2 buckets
1) Generation through RE in terms of supplier
2) On the customer side: The transformation side lot of changes are happening and making the customer choose the power he wants in terms of generation.
Mr T Madhava Das, Whole Time Director & Sr. Executive Vice President (Utilities) – Larsen & Toubro Limited
- We should have innovation in the energy sector. Digital is the game changer. So, if we have to bring new talent then we have to move into the digital. Many students are going in software and other sectors but electrical industry is improving with digitalization. So that has to be told to the new talent.
- Innovation hubs are required to be introduced.
- New small projects to be introduced.
- We should know how to retain the new talent by showing future visions and growth along with innovations.
- Electrical industry is being more run by the govt dominated business so we need to have good business from them and then the payments should be flow of money inside. This would help in having more capex for the industry for growth.
- Creating a micro eco system in the organisation itself, giving them visibility, nurturing them and helping them bloom in the industry.
Mr Darshan Hiranandani, Director, Hiranandani Group
- Newgen talent wants good work ethics, ESOPs, good culture, and good environment.
- Emotionally attached with the vision and mission of the Organisation. So, we have to create that environment.
- We need to have the best talent pool. We need to keep the talent in India.
- We should sponsor the bright kids and nurture them.
- A good idea, good deliverables and good and focused people will automatically find the capital.
Mr Sunil Jain, Operating Partner (Energy Transition) Essar Capital
- Electrical Industry: SME: The SME have to attract the talent they need to rework the talent they have. The new engineers will come later so reskilling is required with the existing team.
- Large: In large the industry is required to give space to the talent for creating their own innovation. The new talent asks for the environment and atmosphere of the industry, growth prospects, innovation, freedom to work etc. and we have to be open on this.
- Company should invest some capital in the resources which are innovative. We need technocrats.
- We need to focus on the skill set they have. Financial incentives should be there to support the industry. The visibility in the organisation is also important. The visibility of the Organisation is also important as the new talent chooses the more professional organisation.
- For attracting talent technology innovation is required.
- If we are on innovation then capital is available for those innovative organisations and new talents. Europe is trying zero carbon complaint company so if we complaint that we will get the capital.
- In next 10 years the cost of electricity will be zero and we will be paying as we pay for data in the mobile. So, consumer will choose the packages.
Mr Sameer B Verma, Managing Director, Nexus Venture Partners
- There is a demand and supply problem. We have more demand in software industry so we find more students opting that industry. Electrical & Electronics engineers face lot of challenge in the jobs so entrepreneurial activities should help those engineers.
- R & D centres should be developed.
- Global exposure is required for the engineers.
- There is lot of demand for the new talent in manufacturing units like semi- conductors’ where they need experts.
- The rate of change is also creating the problem in matching the right talent like in EV.
Question: We are still far from basic quality Infra. Same time we are talking about spending billions on the industry, pls justify. Answer: Capital is always aligned with ROI. Rural electrification is also happening. So, the capital allocation will happen according to ROI and pay-back period.
Mr Mustafa Wajid, Managing Director, Meher Group: Strong and strategic thinking is required. Lot of thinking along with the right time action is required. Introspect and decide who will play which role and lot of thinking is required for the new talent
Mr Vijay Karia, Chairman, DIFIELEC BHARAT 2021 and Managing Director, Ravin Group:
- Innovation
- Timely execution & quality
- Changing the mindset from low price (L1) to quality delivery
- Privatisation of the Discoms
- Self-generation of the electricity
- The quality of power needs to be stable and improved substantially in our country
- Reskilling of the talent is required
- Emotionally attaching the talent with the vision and mission of the organisation
