Dr Abhishek KUMAR is the Head of the Solar Systems Technology Group at SERIS – Singapore’s national institute for applied solar energy research. His focus includes high-performance PV system design, emerging Floating PV technology, real-time PV data monitoring and analysis. In past 11 years of his career, Dr Kumar has gained widespread experience in the whole value chain of PV - starting from high-volume advanced manufacturing processes in microelectronics, development of high-efficiency industrial Si wafer solar cells, techno-economic cost model of cell and module factory, and now downstream PV systems technology. He holds a Masters in Engineering from National University of Singapore (NUS), and PhD in Physics of photovoltaics from the University of Cambridge, UK.

Akilur Rahman, CTO - Hitachi ABB Power Grids India, has more than 31 years of experience in research, R&D, technology management, engineering, business and product development in power and automation technologies for utilities and industries. With a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, Akilur has held various international and global roles in India, Germany and Switzerland. Was responsible for building up ABB’s global automation software product development in India. Led global engineering and cyber security in process automation, ABB corporate research center and country technology in India. In the CTO role, Akilur has been leading technologies in power, automation, robotics, analytics, AI-ML, Industry 4.0, Industrial IoT and digitalization. Applying them in utilities, industries and infrastructure with the concepts of smart electric grid, energy internet, smart factories, smart cities, sustainable electric mobility and digital enterprise. Akilur has been a speaker and panelist at various international and national conferences.

A well-rounded development professional, with a strong track record in mobilizing private investment for infrastructure and creating new markets by working across policy makers, industry leaders, stakeholders, academia and media in South Asia, East Asia and Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. An IIT and IIM alum, Mr. Mehrotra is a recipient of World Bank Group President’s Award for Excellence for helping India reach grid parity for renewable power through the landmark Rewa project and helping India be in the forefront of the emerging disruptive trends such as corporate procurement of renewable energy. In his previous role he worked in the Secretariat for the Committee on Infrastructure, headed by the Prime Minister in the erstwhile Planning Commission, where he contributed to national level policy, investment frameworks and institutional capacity building to commercialize and modernize infrastructure. He contributed to shaping of marquee transactions such as Delhi and Mumbai airport privatizations and the National Highway Development Program.

• Educational Qualification: -B. Tech (Civil Engineering) from IIT Delhi [1985-89] -M. Tech. (Behavioral and Social Sciences) from IIT Delhi. [1989-90] -Executive MBA from ISB, Hyderabad [2010-11] • Professional Certification: Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) from the Institute of Internal Auditors [2014] • Present Assignment: Working as Joint Secretary (Wind, Small Hydro Power & IT) in Ministry of New & Renewable Energy • Earlier experience within IA&AD: Audit of Central Autonomous Bodies and Policy & Coordination for Local Bodies audit at C&AG office. Handled Performance Audits on MGNREGS, ICCR, CSIR, BIS, IREDA, EPFO, ESIC, etc.; audit of local bodies, social audit (all at C&AG Office). Earlier experience includes audit of local bodies in state of Rajasthan, state and central government departments/ ministries; environmental auditing, tax audits in Gujarat, audit of Indian Embassies and PSUs abroad (Kuwait, Turkey and Lebanon). External audit of Indian Air Force and allied organizations (relevant DRDO labs and MES); in present charge since July 2015. Gained strengths in areas relating to risk assessment, internal control issues, good knowledge of government rules and regulations, GFRs, etc. Also, wide experience of administration, budget preparation and expenditure control, HR issues in AG offices (i.e. CAG field offices) as Head of Office. • Audit of UN Agency: conducted external audit of IAEA three times (during 2013-14). • Deputation: with REC (Rural Electrification Corporation, a Ministry of Power company dealing with power financing) as GM/ED (2006-2011, five years). In REC handled IT (implemented ERP), was CEO of RECPDCL (one of the subsidiaries of REC in Power distribution and consultancy business), dealt with Public Relations including IPO and FPO and road shows, Internal Audit, Law, Admin, HR, etc. • Misc.: physically active and regular in sports with strong sense of ethics, values and discipline in public service, Vice President of IA&AS Officer Association.

Dr. M. M. Tripathi is Professor with Delhi Technological University. He holds the position of Director Internal Quality Assurance Cell and Coordinator Intellectual Property Rights Cell at DTU. Dr. Tripathi has 26 years of experience with organizations of National/ International repute. He has worked as research scientist with Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar and Center for Electronics Design & Technology of India. As Joint Director of National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology HQ, Delhi he has worked on various projects such as Digitization and Biometric capture of usual residents of India (NPR), development of manpower in IECT Skills, ICT based Skill Testing and Certification framework and creation of IT Literacy framework in the Country. He has published more than 125 research papers and written 3 books. His Research interests are Artificial Intelligence and IOT applications in Smart Grid and forecasting of renewable energy.

Venkat Venkataraman is the CTO and EVP of Engineering at Bloom Energy. He leads the development of clean, highly efficient and low cost Bloom Energy Servers to generate clean power onsite using natural gas, biogas and hydrogen as feedstock. During his 17 years tenure at Bloom, he led the company through many technological breakthroughs bringing Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology from early stages of development to a matured state enabling deployment of highly efficient commercial systems deployed across the world reducing greenhouse gas emissions signficantly. Over the years, Venkat has assembled, led and mentored a very strong team of engineers and innovators around the world in the areas of fuel cell stack technology, system integration and power electronics, who have made tremendous strides in that time, solving the key technical challenges that had previously prevented the commercialization of SOFC technologies. Venkat’s recent focus has been on the use of Solid Oxide technology for hydrogen production and power generation to accelerate “hydrogen economy”. Besides managing the technology at Bloom Energy, he manages IT organization.

Vishal is co-founder of REConnect Energy - India's largest Energy Analytics scaleup. Vishal has about 12 years of experience in energy markets with expertise in renewable energy policies, predictive analytics, restructured power markets and energy trading. His current role at REConnect Energy involves strategic business development, utility scale projects management, team building, growth hacking and everything else required to keep his organisation growing!