“With a strong focus on scalable renewable solutions, Prozeal has empowered over 150 corporate clients, delivering more than a gigawatt of clean energy. From Green Hydrogen to EV infrastructure, Prozeal is playing its part on every front of the clean energy drive. As businesses increasingly prioritise sustainability, Prozeal is at the forefront of helping them transition to greener energy practices,” shares Manan Thakkar, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Prozeal Green Energy Pvt Ltd in an exclusive interview with Abhineet Kumar of Elets News Network (ENN).

Edited excerpts:

Prozeal has been at the forefront of driving corporate decarbonisation efforts. Could you elaborate on how your scalable renewable solutions have helped businesses reduce energy costs while meeting their sustainability targets?

At Prozeal, we’ve supported over 150 corporate clients, helping them meet their energy needs by delivering more than a gigawatt of power for commercial and industrial customers. We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach, so we carefully study the energy profile of each client and align our solutions with both their needs and government regulations. This allows us to customize the size of the renewable energy plants to match their specific requirements.

Our strategy is tailored to each industry’s energy consumption and load profile. Today, companies aren’t just looking to cut costs; they also want to make their products as green as possible by transitioning to renewable energy. Thanks to the Green Energy Open Access Policy introduced by the Government of India, industries can now convert up to 60% of their power consumption to renewable energy, which is a fantastic step forward.

In addition to this, we’re also working on innovative solutions like battery energy storage and wind-solar hybrid systems, which enable companies to further increase their renewable energy usage by another 10-20%. Not only does this help make their products greener, but it’s also financially rewarding for them.

We’re proud to be decarbonization partners for these industries, helping them scale their power consumption and turn their processes green. Beyond renewable energy, we’re now expanding our services to include green steam and green hydrogen, assisting industries in decarbonizing other parts of their operations.

In our journey toward decarbonization, India has emerged as a global leader in the clean energy drive, despite not being a major contributor to historical carbon emissions. This proactive approach sets India apart as a role model for the rest of the world.

In the corporate sector, have you encountered instances where companies shift the responsibility, suggesting that certain challenges—particularly those related to adopting a clean energy drive —are solely the government’s responsibility, and they don’t see a need to play their part in addressing these issues?

In the past, some companies might have said that sustainability efforts were solely the government’s responsibility and not theirs. However, those days are behind us. Now, nearly every industry is eager to transition towards being “green.”

There are two main drivers behind this shift. First, industries are working to meet sustainability goals, which have become a global priority. Second, going green often leads to significant savings on energy costs. Companies now want to brand their products as green, whether it’s a textile plant promoting eco-friendly fabric or a steel plant highlighting its sustainable practices.

The idea of having a “green product” has become a valuable concept. In fact, businesses are seeing a premium for their sustainable efforts. While complying with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) norms is one reason, it’s not just about regulations anymore. It also makes financial sense, as products marketed as environmentally friendly can command higher prices, and industries benefit from the reduced energy consumption and greener processes.

Prozeal has been involved in large-scale renewable energy projects, particularly in the commercial and industrial sectors. Could you share details on some of your flagship projects, such as solar parks or EV infrastructure, that are making a significant impact on India’s energy landscape?

Certainly! We’ve been engaged in numerous innovative projects across India. One of our standout initiatives is a large-scale solar power project on wasteland in Gujarat, generating 190 megawatts of clean energy. This land, unsuitable for agriculture, is now being utilized to create one of the state’s pioneering renewable energy efforts.

We’ve also completed a 330-megawatt project for a commercial and industrial (C&I) customer, connected through the Central Transmission Utility (CTU). Additionally, we’re currently building another 300-megawatt project. The power plant is located in Andhra Pradesh, while the factory it will supply is in Gujarat. This model, introduced by the government, addresses the challenge of land shortages, particularly for industries in regions like Punjab and the Northeast where land is expensive and solar radiation is less favourable. By installing solar plants in areas with better sunlight and more affordable land, we are optimizing resources and ensuring efficient power generation.

In addition to solar projects, Prozeal is also working on battery energy storage systems (BESS) for various C&I customers. This marks a new phase, as battery storage has mostly been limited to government projects until now. Our work in this area will allow factories to store solar power generated during the day and use it at night, improving energy availability and sustainability.

These are just a few examples of the impactful renewable energy initiatives Prozeal is involved in, demonstrating our commitment to innovation and sustainable energy solutions for India’s growing industrial needs.

India has set ambitious renewable energy targets for 2030, aiming for 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity. How does Prozeal’s portfolio of projects contribute to India’s decarbonization goals and global commitments like the Paris Agreement? Could you share any recent data or milestones achieved by Prozeal in this context?

Prozeal recognized the potential of green energy early on, entering the sector in 2011, long before it gained widespread traction. We saw that not only is green energy beneficial for the environment, but it also delivers value to end-users.

Since then, we’ve grown at an impressive rate of 300% annually, closely matching the government’s vision of achieving the 500-gigawatt target. Prozeal is well-prepared to capture a significant share of the market by 2030, continuing to expand its leadership in the green energy space. We are fully committed to supporting India’s vision and the government’s goals in this sector.

Do you believe India’s 500-gigawatt target 2030 is attainable given the pace we are in?

As for whether the 500-gigawatt target is attainable, I believe it is. If we look at other countries like China and the US, which have successfully ramped up renewable energy installations, most of their growth happened in the last five to six years of their development phases. India’s green energy sector is just entering this rapid growth phase, especially over the past two years. With favourable government policies and increasing industry interest in transitioning to green energy, we’re confident that India can achieve this target.

India is in a prime position right now. With strong public-private collaborations and massive projects like the world’s largest renewable energy park in Khavda, Kutch, we believe India could become a global leader in green energy in the next decade. While currently third in the world, we have the potential to reach the top if we continue on this path.

Prozeal is recognized as a leader in decarbonization, offering innovative solutions to reduce carbon footprints. How is Prozeal integrating advanced technologies like Round-the-Clock (RTC) power, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Green Hydrogen, and Carbon Capture into its projects? How do these technologies support your goal of delivering efficient, reliable, and sustainable energy solutions while meeting the global demand for decarbonization?

Prozeal is at the forefront of decarbonization, working on a range of innovative technologies to help industries transition to greener energy sources. Here’s how we are integrating advanced solutions like RTC power, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Green Hydrogen, and Carbon Capture into our projects to support our commitment to delivering efficient, reliable, and sustainable energy:

One key area we are exploring is Green Steam, a renewable alternative to the steam currently produced by coal in most industries. Today, around 90% of industries rely on coal for steam, which is a significant source of carbon emissions. By transitioning to green steam, we can greatly reduce emissions in industries where steam is essential. Prozeal is actively conducting pilot studies on this concept to demonstrate its feasibility and potential.

Another critical innovation is Green Hydrogen. Many industries—such as chemical, glass, fertilizer, and cement—already use hydrogen, but it’s often grey hydrogen, which still contributes to carbon emissions. We believe that in the long run, as industries shift towards greener practices, grey hydrogen will be replaced by green hydrogen, which is a cleaner alternative. Prozeal is working on pilot projects with its existing customers to accelerate this transition, despite the current high costs of green hydrogen.

We are also advancing the deployment of wind-solar hybrid systems, which combine the strengths of both energy sources to improve efficiency by 10-15% over standalone systems. This hybrid approach, coupled with battery energy storage, allows us to store excess power generated during peak periods and use it during non-generating hours. This helps stabilize the grid and ensures that industries have access to round-the-clock (RTC) power.

By focusing on these innovative models—green steam, green hydrogen, wind-solar hybrids, and BESS—Prozeal is pioneering solutions that not only reduce carbon footprints but also provide reliable, uninterrupted power. These technologies will be integral to our future projects as we continue expanding and setting up new parks based on these advanced models.
In summary, Prozeal is not just adopting cutting-edge technologies; we’re leading the charge in making them accessible and effective for industries committed to decarbonization and sustainable growth.

Renewable energy integration into power grids has been a significant challenge. Can you elaborate on how Progen is addressing this issue? What specific solutions does your company offer to ensure smoother integration of renewable energy into the grid?

Renewable energy (RE) integration into power grids is not a challenge, but the real issue lies in the timing of energy supply rather than grid integration itself. Transmission and infrastructure companies across states are grappling with how to manage this. For example, wind power generation can peak at around 40-60% during certain months, while solar energy is only available during daylight hours. This mismatch between energy generation and demand can create instability in the grid.

At Prozeal, we believe the solution lies in combining wind and solar power with battery storage systems. This approach allows us to control the flow of energy and supply power as needed, rather than overwhelming the grid with energy whenever it’s generated. Batteries help stabilize the power supply, ensuring a more consistent flow of energy to industries.
While battery costs have already come down, they are expected to decrease further in the coming years as production scales up. As this happens, battery storage will become more economically viable, helping to improve grid integration and stability, and enabling reliable power supply both day and night.

As renewable energy becomes a critical part of corporate sustainability strategies, how does Prozeal incorporate CSR into its operations? Could you provide insights on how Prozeal is working to make renewable energy more accessible, and what role it plays in the company’s broader sustainability commitments?

Prozeal has integrated Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into its operations in a way that aligns with its core focus on green energy. As we are deeply involved in renewable energy projects, particularly solar parks, our CSR initiatives focus heavily on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. One key aspect is fostering local employment. Wherever we establish solar parks, particularly in rural areas, we ensure that local communities benefit through job creation.

During the construction phase of our solar parks, we’ve been able to provide jobs for approximately 500 people, including both skilled and unskilled labour. These employment opportunities don’t end when construction is completed. Since solar parks require ongoing maintenance for up to 30 years, local residents continue to find jobs in maintenance roles, contributing to long-term employment stability in the area.

We also emphasize skills development. We provide training to local workers, helping them build careers in the renewable energy sector. We’ve seen many individuals return from urban centres to their home regions to take up skilled engineering roles at our solar parks, allowing them to stay closer to their families while pursuing meaningful careers.

Also Read | Gujarat Energy Research & Management Institute – Transforming the Energy Landscape of The State

Additionally, we focus on improving education in the regions surrounding our parks. We’ve worked with nearby schools to provide software and infrastructure improvements, ensuring students have access to better learning resources. By upgrading school infrastructure, we aim to create a more sustainable and empowered local community.

Through these efforts, Prozeal is not only making renewable energy more accessible but also fostering social and economic upliftment in the areas where we operate.

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