On December 18, 2025, Dhirubhai Ambani University (DAU) hosted a panel discussion and poster presentation on the Topic of Technology Adoption in the Power Sector. The event was organised by the Smart Energy Learning Centre (SELC), funded by BSES Rajdhani Power Limited and BSES Yamuna Power Limited. The event brought together academia and industry titans to chart the digital roadmap for India’s energy future. The event was graced by the presence of Dr G. Venkatesh, Director of the School of Technology, and all the leading authorities of DAU.

Established in 2024, the mission of SELC is to drive transformative solutions in sustainable energy by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, advancing cutting-edge research, and building strong partnerships that empower stakeholders toward a smarter, energy-efficient, and carbon-neutral world. Furthermore, as noted by Dr G. Venkatesh, the Centre is continually seeking ways to expand its scope to address emerging challenges in the global energy landscape through scalability.

Prof. Bhaskar Chaudhury, Head- SELC, said that the centre has grown to include 20 faculty members and over 50 research Fellows and Research Interns dedicated to bringing data-driven and AI-driven approaches to the Energy sector.

The panel on Technology Adoption in the Power Sector featured a distinguished line-up of experts, including Mr. Abhishek Ranjan, CEO, BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd; Mr. Rajiv Sharaf, Vice President, Torrent Power; Ms. Renu Chandel, Managing Director, Utilities, Strategy & Consulting, Accenture; and Mr. Sandeep Narale, Vice President, Adani Electricity, and was moderated by Dr. Sujay Kadam of DAU.

The panel explored the fundamental shift from a linear energy value chain to a circular model, where utility companies are evolving into comprehensive "Energy Companies”. The panel navigated the complex landscape of the power sector, highlighting how the industry is moving away from traditional models toward a high-tech, data-centric ecosystem. Panellists noted that the Government of India is heavily promoting AI to optimise distribution, improve reliability, and manage new services like EV charging and rooftop solar.

The discussion also touched upon the challenges of implementing Time of Usage (ToU) pricing in a developing nation, noting that the government’s Smart Meter Mission will be a key enabler for this transition across Indian households. Notably, the panel concluded that while automation is vital, critical areas like safety protocols and physical fault repairs remain human-dependent tasks.

The panel discussion concluded with an integrative synthesis that weaved together policy intent, technology, and ground-level execution, underscoring that technology adoption in power systems is as much a socio-organisational transition as a technical one, ultimately hingeing on human judgment alongside automation.

The event also featured a series of poster presentations led by the Research Fellows at the Centre. These presentations showcased cutting-edge research on various themes, including Intelligent Energy Systems and Data Analytics, Utility-Driven Smart Energy Services, Recycle and Reuse, and IoT Solutions for Energy Monitoring.