The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported WISE to execute a two-year project titled ‘Developing Performance Evaluation and O&M Strategy for the Indian Solar Sector’. As the part of this project, WISE organised a one-day seminar in January, 2017 in Pune. The event brought together some 80 delegates from the Indian solar sector and key officials from autonomous government agencies and research institutes like the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) and the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE, IIT Bombay), who provided their critical views on the subject, and on expanding capacity to address current and future developmental challenges, placing national strategies in a global context and positioning institutions for high performance of solar plants. Besides imparting information and knowledge, the seminar provided a valuable networking opportunity and set the stage for further cooperation among government and research institutions for O&M of solar plants in India. Mr. S K Singh, Director General, National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), New Delhi, inaugurated the seminar. Other dignitaries present at the inaugural session were senior officials from WISE, NCPRE-IIT B, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), US.

A one-day conference and exhibition on ‘Accelerating Development of Waste-to-Energy Projects in India’ was held in February 2016 in New Delhi., in association with IL&FS Environmental Infrastructure & Services Ltd. The aim of the conference was to discuss and debate on the multiple challenges faced by the nascent waste-to-energy sector in the country and explore various pathways to take it forward. The conference was inaugurated by Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. The Guest of Honour was Praveen Prakash, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, while other dignitaries included Mahesh Babu, MD, IL & FS Environment Infrastructure & Services Ltd, and G M Pillai, Founder Director General, WISE. Topics covered in the conference included, the status of Municipal Solid Waste Management and WTE Projects in India, the Indian and Global Experience in Technology and Project Implementation (four case studies), and issues related to policy, regulation, and finance.

Participants included stakeholders from waste-to-energy companies, officials from state nodal agencies, regulatory commissions, utilities, local bodies, financial institutions, etc. The conference proceedings were widely disseminated to various government ministries dealing with waste-to-energy. Development of waste-to-energy projects gained momentum after the event. Post the event, WISE was involved in helping the industry to get tariff determined by the state electricity regulatory commissions.

A high-level one-day conference titled ‘A New Role for Coal in India’s Electricity Sector’ was organised by WISE in January 2014 in New Delhi. The conference was based on a research report brought out by WISE titled ‘Future of Coal Electricity in India and Sustainable Alternatives’. This report is the first-of-its-kind in the country and seeks to understand the long-term and multifarious implications of the conventional strategy being used for power generation in India from the point of view of resource availability, climate, ecological, and macro-economic perspectives. The report thus recommends a planned transition to a sustainable energy economy.

The main objective of the conference was to discuss and debate the report on a larger platform, amongst an expert group of people who play a fundamental role in policy making and electricity generation in the country. WWF-India was the conference partner and the event was supported by Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, New Delhi. The conference was graced by some prominent dignitaries representing the Planning Commission and other government organisations. Participants at the conference included top-level officials from the government (policy makers and senior government representatives), coal and RE industries, regulators, civil society organisations, international donor agencies, financial institutions, academicians, etc. The participants were of the view that the study would help in aiding policy intervention and planning for a sustainable energy economy. They appreciated the importance and timing of the conference, as both India’s present and future are closely linked to coal. The conference unanimously agreed that it is time to break free and think beyond the coal paradigm by harnessing the power of the wind, sun, and biomass.

WISE organised a high-level, one-day conference on ‘Renewable Energy for Karnataka’s Development and Energy Security’ in Bengaluru in January 2012. The conference was supported by the Government of Karnataka, and the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited (KREDL). The main objective of the conference was to provide a thorough understanding of the prevailing environment for development of renewables in the state, identify the challenges and barriers in implementation of the Karnataka Renewable Energy Policy, and chart a future roadmap for the growth of renewables in the state.

The conference was inaugurated by Shamim Banu, Additional Chief Secretary, Power, Government of Karnataka, and the Guest of Honour was N S Prasanna Kumar, MD, KREDL. The report titled ‘Master Plan for Accelerating Development of Renewable Energy in Karnataka’ prepared by WISE was released in the conference at the hands of Ms Shamim Banu and officially submitted to the Government of Karnataka.
The conference was well represented by people from various government institutions and RE industries and discussed the importance of renewables to achieve energy security in Karnataka and the critical challenges faced by it. Speakers and panelists included eminent persons representing the Government of Karnataka and different renewable energy industries.

The second edition of the international conference and exhibition, ‘Wind Power India 2012’ was organized by the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA, which took the lead for the first time in 2012) in association with WISE and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) from 28th to 30th November 2012.

The three-day event saw the participation of over 1000 delegates, 200 plus global exhibitors and 65 renowned speakers from the national and international wind sector. The inaugural session included the release of India Wind Energy Outlook 2012, a joint publication by WISE, GWEC and IWTMA and a special conference edition of WISE’s bi-monthly magazine Green Energy.

The conference also included a one-day side event by WISE on ‘Small Wind and Hybrid Systems’ that focused on the development of small wind hybrid technology. The one-day conference hosted about 100 delegates including policy makers, small wind turbine manufacturers, component suppliers and real estate developers.

The third edition of ‘Wind India’ was renamed “Wind Power India 2011’ and was organized by WISE in association with the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). The two-day conference and three-day exhibition at Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai, was held from 7th to 9th April 2011. In view of the success of ‘Wind India 2006 and 2008’, ‘Wind Power India 2011’ was pitched as an international conference and received an overwhelming response from the global wind industry, witnessing the participation of more than 100 eminent international and national speakers, over 1000 delegates and around 115 exhibitors from Denmark, Spain, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Germany, China, USA, UK, France and Sri Lanka representing wind turbine manufacturers, equipment suppliers, service providers, investors, financiers, technology consultants, policy makers, regulators and media.

The inaugural function was graced by globally renowned wind power advocates such as Dr. Klause Rave, Chairman, GWEC; Steve Sawyer, Secretary General, GWEC and conference chairperson; Hans Jorgen Koch, Deputy State Secretary, Danish Energy Agency, Denmark; V Subramanian, Former Secretary, MNRE and Chairperson Organizing Committee; Mike Nithavrinakis, British Deputy High Commissioner, Chennai; Dilip Nigam, Director-Wind Policy, MNRE; Tulsi Tanti, Chairman, Suzlon Energy Limited; Ramesh Kymal, Chairman, CMD, Gamesa Wind Turbines Pvt. Ltd., Chennai; Rajiv Wahi, Executive Chairperson, Vestas Wind Technology India Pvt. Ltd.; Bernhard Telgman, CEO, Siemens Wind Power, and G M Pillai, Founder Director General, WISE. The inaugural session also included the release of Wind Energy Outlook 2011, a joint publication by WISE, GWEC and IWTMA and a special conference edition of WISE’s magazine Green Energy.

WISE continued the awards section from its first edition in 2006, aimed at recognizing and encouraging the best performing wind players in 17 different categories.

The conference also featured a single, full-day, side event called ‘One day conference on small wind power and hybrid systems’. The side event saw participation from small wind turbine manufacturers and stakeholders and also featured the launch of the Indian Small Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (INSWA). Other major side event series were the Knowledge Fora series – a series of side events comprising customized business meets and workshops offering unique networking opportunities for suppliers and buyers in the area of wind turbine tower and hub, mechanical drive train, wind turbine electricals, and wind power forecasting.

The significant international interest the conference evoked benefitted the Indian wind sector in building new business relationships and assisting local manufacturing.