By Dr Shabbir Badra, Vice-President, IT and Cybersecurity, Apraava
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a technological curiosity; it has become a powerful force, reshaping how we drive efficiency, strengthen our operations and build a more reliable energy future for India. Every discovery opens new doors and makes us realise how much more there is to learn in this still evolving arena. As the global energy system accelerates its shift towards renewables, AI has moved far beyond theory; it is now a practical enabler of smarter planning, stronger grid stability and more efficient operations. It is a powerful tool that can transform how we generate, distribute and consume power – turning data into insights, and those insights into better, faster and smarter decisions.
The energy industry is embracing innovative tools such as predictive maintenance, advanced forecasting and autonomous assets. However, the real impact of AI still remains limited. Data quality issues, fragmented systems and slow operational adoption often hold back progress. Consequently, the true transition towards renewables continues to sit between ambition and execution, full of potential but still waiting to be unlocked.
Role of AI in the renewable revolution
Renewable energy, particularly solar and wind, has become a core part of India’s power ecosystem. But the output can fluctuate as sunlight and wind are not constant. This is where AI helps us manage that variability, improving predictability and strengthening system reliability.
From weather forecasts to grid performance, AI can help analyse vast amounts of data, enabling smarter forecasting, improved storage utilisation and better grid management. In short, it helps make renewables more reliable, efficient and profitable.
Energy is, by nature, a data-rich sector. Every solar panel, wind turbine and substation produces enormous amounts of operational data. Combine that with external datasets such as weather patterns, consumer usage trends and market data, and the possibilities are limitless. AI thrives in such environments because it can process and interpret these complex datasets a lot faster and more accurately than traditional analytics can.
Some key areas where AI is highly useful and can prove its worth are as follows:
Smart forecasting: AI models predict solar and wind generation with greater accuracy by combining real-time satellite data with historical patterns. This allows grid operators to plan power distribution more effectively, reducing dependence on fossil-based backup generation.
Predictive maintenance: Instead of waiting for a turbine or inverter to fail, AI-based systems can predict potential failures by analysing vibration, temperature and other signals. This predictive maintenance improves uptime and reduces costly breakdowns.
Energy storage optimisation: AI helps decide when to charge or discharge batteries based on grid demand, weather forecasts and pricing signals, thereby maximising system efficiency.
Grid balancing and automation: AI-powered systems enable dynamic balancing of electricity loads and
supply across distributed grids, especially in regions with high renewable penetration.
Customer experience and efficiency: On the consumer side, AI can power smart meters, optimise household energy use and even integrate with electric vehicle charging to reduce strain on the grid during peak hours.
Sustainability: AI can optimise energy production, reduce waste and support India’s environmental, social and governance goals.
India’s unique advantage with AI
While some sectors in India have been cautious with AI adoption, the energy industry has been quite bold and open to exploring these advanced technologies. According to the KPMG “global tech report: energy insights”, 67 per cent of energy companies are already seeing measurable business value from active AI use cases.
India has a unique advantage in terms of scale, data and digital talent. For instance, the ongoing renewable projects are massive in scale, from gigawatt solar parks to nationwide grid digitalisation. At the same time, the country generates enormous volumes of operational and environmental data and possesses a strong base of digital and AI talent to innovate faster than many global peers. These factors place India in a strong position to spearhead the AI-enabled renewable energy transformation.
The challenges ahead
Adopting AI in the energy sector, however, comes with real challenges. Nearly one-third of energy companies worldwide remain in the proof-of-concept stage, often due to concerns about data privacy, cybersecurity, operational technology (OT)-information technology integration and the cost of scaling AI responsibly.
These issues are even more pronounced in renewables, where assets are spread across large geographies, owned by multiple partners and governed by differing data standards. Protecting OT systems is essential, as they operate equipment such as turbines and substations.
From my experience with digital energy platforms, the most persistent obstacle is data silos – valuable information remains unused because it is either fragmented or out of reach. The way forward is to create ONE Operating Platform for ONE Business, connecting field-level sensors to decision-makers in the boardroom through a secure and unified data flow.
This shift requires strong governance, clear data ownership and long-term commitment from the leadership. With these measures in place, AI can reliably support forecasting, asset performance and risk management at scale.
Agentic AI: The next leap
In the past few years, we have moved from generative AI (which creates content) to agentic AI systems that can act autonomously to perform complex tasks.
Imagine an AI system that not only reviews turbine performance but also raises a maintenance request, secures the required parts and arranges a service crew – all on its own. This level of automation closes the long-standing gap between operational tasks and timely decisions in the field.
If planned well, agentic AI has the potential to run entire renewable microgrids – autonomously predicting demand, optimising production and maintaining system stability with minimal human intervention.
On a cautionary note, even as organisations embrace AI, one must decide how much human control to retain. After all, technology should empower, not replace human judgement, especially when national infrastructure and safety are involved.
How can India realise its AI potential in renewables
For India’s renewable energy progress to be powered by AI, policymakers and regulators have a crucial role in ensuring it happens with care, trust and purpose. At the outset, they could consider creating a National Energy Data Exchange. Establishing such a secure, open platform where anonymised data from generation, transmission and distribution systems are shared helps start-ups, researchers and utilities develop more powerful AI models.
Furthermore, mandating digital infrastructure standards will encourage renewable energy developers to adopt common standards for data capture, communication and cybersecurity, thus, making integration smoother and safer. The government should also provide tax incentives or grants for companies experimenting with AI (both pilots and proof-of-concepts) in energy efficiency, grid management and forecasting.
It is also imperative to promote public-private-academia collaboration, wherein India’s premier institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology can partner with energy public sector undertakings and private firms to create national AI pilots focused on renewables. At the same time, capacity building and upskilling need equal weightage. The workforce transition is as important as the technological one. AI literacy and upskilling programmes across the sector will help ensure that AI adoption is both inclusive and sustainable.
Overall, India must develop ethical AI guidelines for energy to ensure transparency, fairness and accountability in how AI is applied to energy operations and customer data.
A future-ready renewables sector
AI in renewables is not just a technological evolution; it is a strategic necessity. As India’s renewable capacity continues to rise, AI will be the invisible engine ensuring reliability, efficiency and resilience.
India has the scale, the talent and the ambition to lead this revolution. What we need now is integration, innovation and intent to ensure that every watt of clean energy is powered by intelligence.
