
How India’s climate leadership is building a better future for all
This article first appeared in The Hindustan Times.
A leading first generation entrepreneur, Sumant Sinha is the Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of ReNew Power - India’s leading clean energy company. Sumant is also one of India’s pioneering climate leaders, paving the way for the energy transition in the country. Sumant founded ReNew Power in January 2011, starting with a small wind project of 25 MW in Gujarat and a vision to transform the way energy is produced in India. Since then, under his leadership, ReNew Power has grown significantly to become India’s largest renewable power producer, and the first to cross 5,000 MW of installed wind and solar capacity, spanning more than 100 sites across India. ReNew’s current aggregate portfolio (including under development projects) stands at over 10,000 MW. It is also India's only renewable energy unicorn.
Sumant is a passionate advocate for solutions related to climate change through the intersection of business and public policy. As an expert on economic policy & climate change, Sumant speaks extensively at global platforms, such as the World Economic Forum at Davos, Climate Week NYC and forums organized by the Financial Times, Goldman Sachs, Fortune, Boao Forum, Observer Research Foundation and top global universities. Sumant is a sought after columnist and commentator. He has authored more than 100 articles in leading global and Indian publications.
Sumant is a member of the Stewardship Board on Shaping the Future of Energy and Co-Chair of the Electricity Governor’s Group at the World Economic Forum, and serves as the Chair of The Climate Group’s India Advisory Group. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the US India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). He chairs the Confederation of Indian Industry’s Renewable Energy Council (CII is India's premier industry body). He is on the Board of Governors of prestigious institutions such as IIM Calcutta, IIT Delhi and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Sumant is also an alumnus of the same three institutions - IIT Delhi (B. Tech), IIM Calcutta (PGDBM) and SIPA at Columbia (Masters).
For his achievements in the area of entrepreneurship and clean energy, Sumant has won several awards including the “EY Entrepreneur of the Year, 2017”, “Champion of Tomorrow” by CEO Awards, “Outstanding Start-up of the Year”- Forbes India Leadership Awards for ReNew Power 2017, the “IIT Delhi Distinguished Alumnus Award, 2018” and the coveted “Economic Times Entrepreneur of the Year Award, 2018”. Most recently he won The Entrepreneur’s Entrepreneur of the Year award, 2019, The Stevie Gold International Award for Entrepreneur of the Year – Energy and the IIM Calcutta Distinguished Alumnus Award 2019. He was also featured as a Sustainable Hero by Greentech Capital Advisors in 2019.
This article first appeared in The Hindustan Times.
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