Quitol (Goa): India could achieve its net-zero emissions target 10–15 years ahead of the 2070 deadline, driven by the pace of its clean energy transition, Rahul Munjal, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Hero Future Energies, said on the sidelines of India Energy Week (IEW) 2026. “At the rate at which India is progressing in transitioning to green fuel, India could achieve the net zero target 10–15 years ahead of the 2070 deadline,” Munjal said.
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Munjal said India’s ability to combine wind and solar generation to deliver round-the-clock renewable power to the grid sets it apart globally. “What is done in India to capitalize on wind and solar round-the-clock is very unique to provide power to the grid 24x7 even through solar power generation only happens during the day,” he said.
“As consumers, we require power regardless the time of the day, we don’t care when the sun comes when the wind blows but India has mastered the art of taking wind, solar and combining it into ways and creating round the clock power from intermediate source and we are very good at,” Munjal added.
According to Munjal, the next phase of India’s energy transition must focus on green hydrogen to sharply cut carbon emissions. “The next step is transition to green hydrogen to cut our carbon emission as much as possible and bring the target of net zero from 2070 to 2060 or even before,” he said, adding, “we have the technology, we have the economics to reduce carbon emission. We can solve the carbon problem there and hydrogen is the solution.”
He said India’s progress in wind and solar generation demonstrates its ability to scale new technologies. “India has done a fantastic job when it came to wind and solar to generate 200-250 and upto 300 gigawatts round the clock and very soon we will touch 500 GGW and we are on a very good wicket and we will do the same for hydrogen,” Munjal said.
Munjal stressed that long-term policy stability is essential for scaling green hydrogen projects, given their long development and operating timelines. “What India needs right now is having firm policies for green hydrogen,” he said, noting that “it take five years to set up a project and it takes another 25 years to run the project.”
He added that frequent policy changes increase risks for developers. “If policy changes, the industry also has to adapt to meet the policies,” Munjal said.
Munjal also flagged supply-chain constraints as a near-term challenge for India’s green hydrogen ambitions, particularly dependence on imported electrolysers.
“Another area of focus is the supply chain as right now for green hydrogen, India has to import electrolisers so we need to be sure that we are able to create an industry within India which we should by the way but it will take time,” he said.
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In the interim, Munjal said imports would be necessary to build scale, as India targets downstream markets. “In the interim period the industry has to import and create the industry as we want to sell methanol, green ammonia and hydrogen,” he said, adding that green hydrogen is critical to decarbonising steel, cement and transportation and that “development of commercial green hydrogen is important.”
