Growing RE fuels UPS business  

The UPS sector’s commitment to advancing renewable energy aligns with the Viksit Bharat vision. The expansion of the solar product range and improvement in inverter and battery efficiency contribute to a sustainable energy future for India.

The renewable energy sector in India has rapidly grown, ranking fourth globally in installed capacity, with non-fossil fuel capacity reaching 203.19 GW by June 2024. Industry leaders in power solutions are driving energy security through innovative technologies. Integrating IoT and AI enhances real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and optimised energy use, ensuring efficient operations. The commitment by the UPS sector to the advancement of renewable energy aligns with the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision. Expanding the solar product range and improving inverter and battery efficiency contribute to a sustainable energy future for India. Industry experts analyse the prospects of the UPS solutions sector.

Evolving renewable energy capacity

India has made significant strides in renewable energy, now ranking fourth globally. By June 2024, the non-fossil fuel capacity of the country surpassed 203.19 GW, accounting for 45.5 percent of its total energy capacity. Solar power, driven by initiatives like the National Solar Mission, grew 31 times since 2014 to 85.47 GW. Wind power doubled to 46.65 GW in the same period. Raman Bhatia, Founder & MD- Servotech Power Systems, comments, “UPS solutions play a critical role in this growth by ensuring grid stability, integrating energy storage, and supporting infrastructure, especially in remote areas. These systems help manage renewable energy fluctuations and enhance grid reliability and efficiency.”

As of July 2024, India has witnessed remarkable growth in its installed renewable energy capacity of 197+ GW. It has an ambitious target of 500 GW of renewable energy installed capacity by 2030. Meenu Singhal, Regional Managing Director, Socomec Greater India, views that the power management solutions industry plays a crucial role in this growth by ensuring that renewable energy systems operate efficiently and reliably. Effective power management is essential for integrating renewable energy into the grid, balancing supply and demand, and maximising the use of clean energy sources.

Meenu Singhal says, “At Socomec, our advanced power conversion, switching, and monitoring solutions are designed to support the seamless integration of renewable energy, enhance energy efficiency, and reduce losses. These solutions help optimise the performance of renewable energy installations, ensuring that they deliver consistent and stable power. They enable real-time monitoring and control, allowing operators to make informed decisions and respond quickly to fluctuations or challenges.” He further states that as India continues to scale up its renewable energy capacity, the power management solutions industry will remain a key enabler of this transition, contributing to the country’s journey toward a more sustainable energy future.

Strategies for ‘Viksit Bharat’ goals

Speaking on Viksit Bharat, the industrialists are very optimistic about achieving the desired goals necessary for economic and infrastructure development. Raman Bhatia shares, “Our strategies to achieve the ‘Viksit Bharat’ goals are centred on advancing sustainable energy solutions and driving innovation. We are committed to expanding the adoption of renewable energy by investing in solar, wind, and smart grid technologies, integrating IoT and AI for improved efficiency.”

Sanchit Goyal opines that Su-Kam Power Systems is dedicated to advancing renewable energy solutions that align with the Viksit Bharat goals. He says, “We have already expanded our range of solar products and, by leveraging cutting-edge technology, have improved the efficiency of our inverters and batteries. Our commitment lies in contributing to developing clean energy infrastructure by offering smart and sustainable solutions.”

Meenu Singhal has to say that to support the ‘Viksit Bharat’ goals, Socomec is committed to leveraging advanced technologies such as IoT and AI to enhance the reliability and efficiency across six primary market segments – data centre, healthcare, industry, infrastructure, commercial buildings, and renewable energy that we serve in India. This approach reduces downtime and supports the development of smart grids and smart cities. “Our ongoing investments in the Indian market aim to expand our manufacturing capacity to meet the increasing demands of India and emerging markets. As sustainability remains the core priority for Socomec, we are dedicated to strengthening our “Make in India” product portfolio by adhering to green and sustainable practices in our Indian manufacturing units,” he adds.

Tackling challenges with resilience

As the power sector continues to evolve, industry leaders are embracing the challenges they face as opportunities for growth and innovation. Raman Bhatia emphasises a mindset of resilience and optimism. “Challenges are an inevitable part of any journey, including in the power sector. While I prefer not to dwell on the difficulties, I have learned to see them as opportunities for growth,” Bhatia says. He further elaborates that Servotech has consistently used these challenges as stepping stones, fuelling their progress and shaping a stronger future.

Sanchit Sekhwal underscores the importance of innovation in addressing the dynamic nature of customer preferences and fierce market competition. “At Su-Kam, we continuously innovate to address the two key challenges we face: evolving customer preferences and intense market competition,” Goyal notes. Su-Kam’s dedication to research and development, coupled with a strong focus on customer feedback, ensures that the company remains at the forefront of the power solutions industry.

Meenu Singhal points out that rapid technological advancements and the need for sustainable solutions are major hurdles. “At Socomec, one of the major challenges we face is adapting to the rapid advancements in technology and the evolving needs of our customers across diverse sectors like data centres, healthcare, and renewable energy,” Singhal explains. To stay ahead, Socomec is heavily investing in research and development, with recent achievements such as NABL accreditation for their laboratories in India highlighting its commitment to quality. Furthermore, the company is expanding its digital capabilities and refining customer engagement strategies to better cater to market demands.

IoT and AI technologies enhancing efficiency

Raman Bhatia emphasises the role of IoT and AI technologies in enhancing energy security by improving efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in energy systems. IoT enables smart grids with real-time monitoring, fault detection, and demand response management through dynamic pricing, automated load control, and energy efficiency via smart metering and home automation. He opines, “AI facilitates predictive maintenance by analysing sensor data for equipment monitoring and performance optimisation, accurate energy forecasting for demand and renewable energy predictions, cybersecurity monitoring through threat and anomaly detection, and optimised energy distribution through load balancing and the integration of distributed energy resources, all of which contribute to a stronger and more resilient grid.”

Adding to this prospect, Sanchit Sekhwal Goyal, Director of Su-Kam Power System, says, “By integrating IoT, Su-Kam ensures real-time monitoring and management of its power solutions, enabling efficient operation and quick response to issues.” He further states that integrating AI enhances predictive maintenance and optimisation of energy use. These advancements result in robust, intelligent energy solutions that improve operational efficiency and offer enhanced security and reliability for Su-Kam’s customers.

Meenu Singhal shares, “At Socomec, we drive innovation across all our product lines to meet the growing energy efficiency, reliability, and sustainability demands. One of our latest advancements is developing the Diris Digiware system, a modular and scalable solution designed to optimise energy performance and monitoring within data centres, healthcare facilities, and industrial environments.” He further says, “We have made significant strides in the field of power conversion with our latest range of UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) systems, which includes the DELPHYS XL 1000 & 1200 kVA/KW UPS, which delivers 99.1 percent efficiency through Smart Conversion Mode. This mode optimises energy usage, reducing operational costs for data centres.”

Focus on the upcoming edition of the REI Expo.

At the upcoming REI Expo, industry leaders are gearing up to unveil groundbreaking innovations in renewable energy, setting the stage for a transformative future. Raman Bhatia says, “We are planning something groundbreaking and technologically innovative for the upcoming REI Expo. Our primary focus will be on lithium batteries and energy storage systems, showcasing the latest technological advancements and their applications in enhancing grid stability and efficiency.”

“We will also emphasise solar hybrid inverters and their crucial role in optimising solar energy use through seamless integration with storage solutions for improved energy management,” he adds.

Sanchit Sekhwal also eagerly anticipates the upcoming REI Expo, where they plan to showcase cutting-edge products to propel advancements in the renewable energy sector. The exhibit will highlight state-of-the-art solar energy solutions and intelligent power backup systems.

Raman Bhatia, Founder & MD- Servotech Power Systems

“UPS solutions play a critical role in this growth by ensuring grid stability, integrating energy storage, and supporting infrastructure, especially in remote areas. These systems help manage renewable energy fluctuations and enhance grid reliability and efficiency.”

Sanchit Sekhwal Goyal, Director– Su-Kam Power System

“We have already expanded our range of solar products and, by leveraging cutting-edge technology, have improved the efficiency of our inverters and batteries. Our commitment lies in contributing to developing clean energy infrastructure by offering smart and sustainable solutions.”

Meenu Singhal, Regional Managing Director, Socomec Greater India

“One of our latest advancements is the development of the Diris Digiware system, a modular and scalable solution designed to optimise energy performance and monitoring within data centres, healthcare facilities, and industrial environments.”