REI 2021- Informa Markets’s Rajneesh Khattar Looks Forward To a Show Befitting India’s Solar Growth

After a tumultous 2 year period, the bellweather event for the Indian solar sector, REI 2021 is finally back. For Rajneesh Khattar, Group Director, Informa Markets, the staging of the event is a triumph, after all the efforts the organisation made to ensure its success. In this interview, he shares his sentiments on the key event.

Q. What are the highlights of REI 2021 when it is back in its’ physical avataar this year?

The most promising highlight of this edition is our “Return to where we belong to” i.e. Physical Version after witnessing the most challenging year humanity has ever faced so far. This has been a phenomenal whirlwind of a year throwing off plans of all stakeholders and causing unimaginable disruption by further weakening the supply chains’ ecosystem.

REI 2021 being held on 15 – 17 September at India Expo Centre, Greater Noida is destined to showcase India Inc.’s ambitious vision, relentless persistence, deep urge to contribute to set the economy back on track and a great intent aiming to boost India’s RE portfolio to stratospheric levels in years to come. This is in addition to 125 + exhibitors on the floor, galaxy of highly acclaimed industry stalwarts speakers and VIPs and large gathering of business visitors…this being consistent hallmark of REI over the years anyway!

Q. Which other sectors will get a limelight in this year’s show?

For sure Solar and Bio energy will continue to be the show stoppers. However, very soon Electric Vehicle (EV) sector will also embark upon its’ presence at REI besides wind regaining its’ focus. It will be a pleasure to witness a healthy intra-sector competition with each domain trying to grab a share for itself whilst India stands geared up for next leap of 450 GW by the year 2030.

Q. What precautions have been planned for organising the event amidst Covid-19 scenario?

Very pleased to confirm that being an Exhibition and Conferences organizer of global repute, we have already formalized our in-house H&S document called “Informa AllSecure”. This is far more stringent in compliance than the H&S guidelines issued by the Govt of India and provides multiple additional rings of safety to all the participants. To begin with, REI 2021 will observe QR Code based Contactless Registration, ensuring there are no long serpentine-like queues as in past and no crowding. Besides we have also adopted staggered registrations in order to check visitors density inside each hall strictly in line with Govt guidelines.

We are permitting by all means prefabricated booth structures only for raw scheme stalls. Each exhibitor will be provided Disinfectant kit in addition to Thermal scanning, Sanitiser installations at multiple check points, App based food ordering systems, thereby, encouraging digital payments practice, keeping provision of isolation room for those who report unwell at the time of entry etc to name a few.

All attendees and Exhibitors are any which way advised to maintain social distancing within the booth & switch to other contactless mode of greetings. Meeting tables to have sneeze guards and Informa COVID Ambassadors will be present on the floor to ensure compliance in totality

Q. What will be your renewable energy industry outlook for the year 2021?

My outlook for the year 2021 is extremely optimistic as India is fairly galloping towards its’ ambitious goals of 450 GW by 2030. We have recently celebrated our Century of Pride on the achievement of 100 GW of installed Renewable Energy capacity ranking India # 4^th largest installed RE capacity worldwide. This is in addition to another 50 GW under implementation and yet another 27 GW under tendering.

I take this opportunity to Congratulate people of India on this amazing achievement that once again reposes our faith in Federal policies, its’ larger-than-life vision and above all gaining the feeling of Self-Belief.  There’s pent-up demand that’s going to take India’s RE sector forward as there’s 17 times increase in installed Solar capacity in last 7 years even Open Access solar installations stand increased by 56% in Yr 2020 despite challenges. The booster dose of “Self-Reliant Bharat” is destined to give push to indigenous enterprises by working tirelessly on the demand side of the sector. The robust pipeline of tenders is good enough to determine the intentions set forth by the Centre and demonstrates a silver lining at the end of dark COVID 19 – induced tunnel.

The Indian electricity sector is on the cusp of a solar-powered revolution. Solar power is set for explosive growth in India, matching coal’s share in the Indian power generation mix within two decades or even sooner. This dramatic turnaround is driven by India’s policy ambitions, notably the ambitious target to reach 450 GW of renewable capacity by 2030, and the extraordinary cost-competitiveness of solar, which’d out-compete existing coal-fired power by 2030 even when paired with battery storage.

So is the focus on Off-Shore wind sector and Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) that are bound to carve out a newer identity for India’s RE sector in times to come.