Moving The World To Low-carbon Development Path

What inspired you to start a firm in the renewable energy sector?

Solar can be a powerful source in solving our climate crisis. I’m proud of our team and what we’ve accomplished together. Today solar is cheaper than fossil fuels, and it’s the talk of the town. Much of that is because of the innovations we made, the policies I helped shape and the grit and passion with which I pursued these goals.

Is infrastructure a difficult sector for women?

I strongly believe it is a myth that infrastructure is a man’s world. I have raised more than Rs 2,000 crore in capital, built seven solar plants totalling approximately 500 MW which power over 250,000 homes and reduce 600,000 tons of CO2 emissions per annum. I have been in boardrooms full of men and yet never ever felt out of place.

The current year has been a difficult one for startups. What are the challenges your company faced and how did you tackle these?

Yes, it’s a tough year for startups trying to raise funds. Rapid increase in commodity prices and supply chain disruptions has made it a difficult year for solar too. Through these difficult times, we’ve been disciplined about our approach to project development. 2022 marked the year when we successfully sold our solar assets to a large international infrastructure trust which is now listed on the London Stock Exchange. There is a lot of interest from investors to bring in fresh capital in renewables and there is a robust pipeline of projects available.

What are some of your plans for 2023?

I want to continue to pursue my passion of moving the world to a low-carbon development path, in a bid to solve the climate crisis facing the planet. My focus is now expanding to sensitising and empowering individuals to become a part of this journey through technology solutions, working hand in hand with companies to accelerate our journey towards Net Zero goals.