Team Siliconindia

• The Ministry of Power has launched a task force to build the India Energy Stack (IES), a digital public infrastructure for the power sector.
• IES will unify fragmented energy systems, enabling real-time data sharing, consumer empowerment, and seamless integration of renewables and EVs.
• A 12-month pilot will begin in Delhi, Mumbai, and Gujarat, with leadership from experts like Dr. Ram Sewak Sharma and Nandan Nilekani, aiming to drive India’s energy transition and Net Zero goals.

The Ministry of Power has declared the establishment of a special task force to build the India Energy Stack (IES), an innovative digital infrastructure designed to revamp the power sector in the country. The project seeks to integrate disparate components of the energy sector under a secure, open and standardized platform. This will assist in making the power sector efficient, transparent, and consumer-centric.

India Energy Stack is intended to solve existing issues in the power industry, particularly with the rising contribution of renewable energy, electric cars, and consumer participation. Today, the industry is plagued by fragmented systems that have poor communication between them. The IES will function as a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), just like Aadhaar did for identification and UPI did for payments. It will manage, monitor, and innovate along the electricity value chain with the aid of advanced digital tools.

Some of the important characteristics of IES will be unique IDs for consumers, assets, and transactions; consent-based and real-time data sharing; open APIs for integrating disparate systems; and digital platforms that empower the consumer and facilitate market access and innovation. All these characteristics are anticipated to optimize the efficiency of DISCOMs, provide grid stability, and facilitate renewable energy source integration.

This was announced by Shri Manohar Lal Khattar, Power Minister, who added that India requires a robust digital infrastructure in the power sector to address increasing demand and future requirements. He added that the India Energy Stack will be a game changer in terms of making the energy services available, secure, and reliable for everyone.

To prove the idea, a 12-month Proof of Concept (PoC) will be executed. This will involve launching the Utility Intelligence Platform (UIP), a data-application on the India Energy Stack. The UIP will enable real-time analytics and intelligent energy management capabilities for utilities, policymakers, and consumers. Pilot implementation of the platform will be done for DISCOMs in Mumbai, Gujarat, and Delhi.

To monitor this whole process, a task force is constituted by members representing the power sector, the technology domain, and the regulatory bodies. The task force is headed by Dr. Ram Sewak Sharma, has Chief Mentor Mr. Nandan Nilekani, Vice Chair Mr. Pradeep Kumar Pujari, and the Chief Architect is Mr. Pramod Verma. This team will be backed by a number of working groups that will be dedicated to major areas such as technology, distribution, system operation, generation, regulation, and market mechanisms.

Clear objectives have been assigned to the task force. Within three months, it is to specify the test model for the Utility Intelligence Platform. In a year, it is to make a comprehensive request for proposals and work on developing the platform further. A white paper will also be published for public consultation, and a national deployment plan for the India Energy Stack will be formulated.

This project is being initiated by the Ministry of Power as part of its overall vision to empower India's transition to a $5 trillion economy and Net Zero. The India Energy Stack will position itself as a robust digital backbone for the power sector, making way for a smarter, greener, and more consumer-centric future.