Powering the Future

Information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider Huawei aims to accelerate digital transformation in Indian power sector

– Derek Hao, President, Huawei Technologies India

Global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, Huawei organised its ICT Summit 2016 (India) in Mumbai on 8th and 9th November. On the sidelines of this event, Derek Hao, President, Huawei Technologies India and Ducky Tang, VP of Electric Industry – Enterprise Business Group, Huawei Technologies China speak to Subhajit Roy and outline the company’s roadmap for development of Indian power sector. Excerpts:

Derek, could you briefly explain us about how ICT is transforming the power sector?
Derek Hao: ICT, that was a supporting system even a few years back, has emerged as a production system in most of the industry verticals. Today no industry can realise its potential fully without optimising ICT system and are therefore witnessing digital transformations. The mission of Huawei Enterprises Business is to help our customer to realise the digital transformations. When it comes to making a smart city, ICT infrastructure is the backbone. ICT plays a key role even in smart energy management being the integral part of smart grid and Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI).

Most of power sector utilities in India are grappling with huge AT&C losses. How ICT can play a role in this context?
Derek Hao: The Indian government has introduced Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) and Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) to ensure round the clock power for all and reduce AT&C losses. The utilities are also developing AMI. ICT can play very important roles in all this initiatives by providing effective end-to-end communication solutions.

Ducky Tang: We have developed the world’s first 100 megabyte professional broadband trunking solution based on enterprise LTE (eLTE) technology. Designed to address the evolution of trunking technology, Huawei’s eLTE technology meets the requirements for efficient operational communications in governments, railway systems, airports, ports, power grids, as well as oil and mining industries. In the power sector, eLTE can be used for automated meter reading in rural areas.

Also, Huawei wide-band Power-Line Communication (PLC) solution is an effective tool as it significantly improves AMI communication quality across urban areas.

Are you working in any power project in India?
Derek Hao: Huawei is very focus on the power utility market in India since the past few years. We partner with India Smart Grid Forum (ISGF), a public private partnership initiative of Power Ministry set up for accelerated development of smart grid technologies in the Indian power sector. We are also working with some of the state utility companies to discuss and develop solutions for them.

Are you developing any technology for Indian market?
Ducky Tang: Huawei is very active to work with our partners to discuss the research this new technology with our customers in India. We offer end-to-end solutions for power generation, transmission and distribution. We have developed MSTP (?) technology that can help T&D companies to realise more intelligent dispatch. We also have advanced communication technologies which are used to enhance distribution network.

How important is Indian market for your Group’s business?
Derek Hao: Undeniably, India is a hot market for us! It is one of the fastest growing global economies with a faster GDP growth. Also, the present government’s ambitious development programmes such as smart cities and digital India will drive the industrial growth immensely. Even the recent step towards demonetisation would have a positive impact on the industries.

With a population of 1.25 billion and increasing per capita income, India offers foreign investors one of the largest markets in the world. We see India as a very strategic market as there is a major portion of its population is still not in access of power supply.

Huawei is present in India for the past 16 years and have a manufacturing facility. In addition, we have a ‘Joint Innovation Solution and Demo Centre’ in Bengaluru. Notably our largest overseas R&D centre is also established in Bengaluru. So, on a commitment standpoint, we are right up there. Specifically for the enterprise sector, Huawei is right now working on creating collaboration and partnership.

What’s your target for Indian market?
Derek Hao: We do not believe in number games! Rather, we would like to be an enabler for digital transformation
in the Indian market. I think once the Huawei ICT solutions start generating to add value to our customers; the ranking will come by
itself.

Do you feel that there is the competition in this domain?
Derek Hao: Competition is there in every vertical. We are trying our best to bring the best technology, resource and expertise to the Indian market that will empower our customers in the long-run.

What gives you the competitive edge over your competitors? What will be your USP?
Derek Hao: Huawei has very comprehensive product lines across enterprise networking, enterprise IT, unified communication, enterprise wireless and vertical solutions product line. There are very few companies in this industry have so comprehensive product lines. This is our key USP. On top of that, Huawei ICT solutions are ready with top five ICT trends: Cloud, ISDN, mobility, big data and IoT.

Do you have any solution for renewable energy sector?
Ducky Tang: Huawei offers smart solar solutions which are already installed in more than 70 countries. Japan is our largest market outside China for smart solar solutions. Huawei’s SolarMax solar hybrid power technology maximises use of solar energy and harvests 5 per cent more energy than the average industry performance.