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India is drawing up a roadmap to develop indigenous software and hardware for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems used to monitor and control the power network, as it seeks to eliminate dependence on foreign technology in critical electricity infrastructure. The CEA has proposed developing most software and hardware modules by 2028-29, backed by pilot projects, a dedicated testing ecosystem and government funding. View More

The government plans to develop homegrown control systems and equipment for critical power infrastructure , including the national grid, as the government seeks to end reliance on foreign technology and strengthen energy security by 2029. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has laid out a roadmap to localise the production of systems that enable real-time monitoring and supervisory control of the electricity network. The plan covers both the software and hardware used in Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, or SCADA, systems. In a report published on Tuesday, the power ministry body proposed a phased trajectory for developing indigenous SCADA capabilities, with the bulk of the identified software and hardware modules targeted for development by 2028-29. The broader objective is to eliminate import dependence, with the Ministry of Power having decided that SCADA systems should not be imported beyond 2030. Also read: India lets clean-energy projects pay to keep grid access after delays SCADA systems collect and transmit critical data from power plants and substations to control centres, giving grid operators real-time visibility over equipment and enabling supervisory control of the electricity network. They form the front end for Energy Management Systems used in generation and transmission, as well as Distribution Management Systems. Live Events The initiative is part of New Delhi's broader self-reliance push, but the report also flags strategic concerns around dependence on foreign original equipment manufacturers. National grid at the centre of the push The CEA described SCADA systems as the “central nervous system of the National Power Grid”, enabling the “One Nation, One Grid, One Frequency” framework through real-time monitoring and control. It said dependence on foreign OEMs and proprietary technologies has created interoperability constraints, delayed customisation and system upgrades, and increased reliance on external support services. “In an increasingly complex geo-political landscape, such dependence poses potential risks to national energy security,” the report said. “Reliance on foreign technologies for critical infrastructure may expose utilities to supply chain disruptions, technology access constraints, delayed availability of upgrades and support, and limited transparency associated with proprietary or ‘black box’ systems,” it added. The current systems also suffer from vendor lock-in. The CEA said proprietary database architectures and engineering tools can make modifications dependent on OEM intervention, while differences in implementation can limit interoperability and complicate the integration of third-party applications. Also read: Ambani's Rs 2.7 lakh cr underground bet can save India from shocks Local content remains below 20% The power ministry had earlier prescribed a minimum local content requirement of 50% for SCADA systems. However, the CEA's assessment found that actual local content in grid SCADA remains below 20%, with exemptions having been granted in the past. The report noted that software accounts for about 25% of the cost of a SCADA system, while hardware accounts for the remaining 75%, making the localisation of equipment a more gradual and challenging process. The committee's mandate, however, goes beyond meeting minimum local-content thresholds. It has recommended a phased approach aimed at eventually eliminating import dependence and ensuring that SCADA systems are available from Indian entities. Software and hardware roadmap The CEA finalised a timeline covering 38 software modules and 25 hardware components identified by Grid India. The software roadmap includes core SCADA applications, communication systems, historian and data storage platforms, Energy Management System functions such as state estimation and contingency analysis, automatic generation control, cybersecurity applications, load forecasting and network management systems. The committee found that 36 of the 38 software modules could be developed in the short term, although real-time testing and validation through digital twins and parallel operation at State Load Despatch Centres would remain key challenges. The report also said 16 of the 25 identified hardware components were expected to be ready within two years. These include equipment such as servers, routers, switches, storage systems, cybersecurity appliances, workstations and other control-centre infrastructure. For telecom and general IT networking equipment, the power sector will follow the indigenisation trajectory laid down by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications under their respective Make in India frameworks. Also read: India's power system just passed a historic tipping point Testing, pilots and funding support Besides manufacturing and development, the roadmap calls for a dedicated ecosystem to test and certify indigenous SCADA systems. The committee recommended establishing a testing platform within two years, with government funding, to simulate operating conditions and validate cybersecurity requirements. It also called for pilot projects under State, regional and national load despatch centres to test indigenous software and hardware in real-world conditions alongside existing systems. SLDC Odisha has volunteered to provide a testing environment for pilot implementation. The report said institutions including STQC and CPRI have capabilities in cybersecurity assessment, certification and equipment testing, but a more comprehensive platform would be needed for end-to-end validation of indigenous SCADA modules. Government financial support will also be necessary, the committee said, with the Power System Development Fund, or PSDF, identified as a possible source. National SCADA Mission proposed To drive implementation, the CEA has proposed formalising an institutional mechanism, either through a National SCADA Mission or a specialised working group under the Ministry of Power and the CEA. For development and integration, the report suggested two possible models. Under one, a government PSU or institution with SCADA experience, such as C-DAC, could be nominated. The alternative is a collaboration or consortium model, under which Power Grid or Grid India could invite expressions of interest from capable entities. The final choice of the institutional and development models has been left to the power ministry. The report makes clear, however, that meeting the proposed timeline will depend on adequate funding, a testing ecosystem and coordinated implementation support. .Pbanner{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;background-color:#ec1c40;margin-top:20px;padding:5px 10px;border-radius:4px;color:#fff;line-height:10px;width: 100%;box-sizing: border-box} .Pbannertext{display:flex;align-items:center;font-size:16px;font-weight:600;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannertext img{height:20px;margin:0 6px} .Pbannerbutton a{display:flex;align-items:center;background-color:#fff;color:#ec1c40;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;padding:4px 8px;border-radius:6px;font-size:15px;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannerbutton img{height:20px;margin-right:6px} .Pbannerbutton a:hover{background-color:#f7f7f7} Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! 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The International Monetary Fund in its World Economic Outlook for April 2026 noted India's nominal GDP at $3.92 trillion for 2025-26, which makes India the sixth-largest economy in the world View More

The current grid infrastructure is causing marked energy loss during high-demand summer periods. To combat this, developers are integrating batteries to maintain a stable power supply throughout the day. View More

India is counting on increasing investments in battery storage to help abate the mounting curtailments of solar power that the grid is currently unable to absorb. Projects that are not equipped with battery storage are unlikely to find buyers, with almost 42 gigawatts of planned capacity yet to sign offtake contracts, Renewables Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi said on Friday. Among the most at risk are about 18 gigawatts of solar-only projects and another 14 to 15 gigawatts of capacity awarded at high prices, he said at the BNEF Summit in New Delhi. In India, renewables additions have been led by photovoltaic, causing a day-time supply glut, particularly during summers when radiation is stronger. About 11% of solar power generated in India during the hottest months this year was lost to grid curtailments, even as demand hit a record. Grids around the globe are struggling to keep pace with the rapid expansion of solar and wind fleets, creating periods of excess electricity that force operators to shut down a portion of generation capacity to protect equipment and prevent blackouts. Live Events India’s transmission system failed to absorb more than 8 billion kilowatt-hours of power in April to June, when 63 billion actually reached the system. Peak curtailment was seen in May, when scorching heat sent electricity use to all-time high. Solar developers are now adding battery storage to attract buyers that need supplies throughout the day, Sarangi said. Almost 21 gigawatts of the country’s renewable energy projects have only part-time access to the grid, putting them at a greater risk of curtailments, which is hampering expansion and threatening to slow energy transition. States in the northern and western regions have struggled to build grid networks that match the expansion in solar energy. .Pbanner{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;background-color:#ec1c40;margin-top:20px;padding:5px 10px;border-radius:4px;color:#fff;line-height:10px;width: 100%;box-sizing: border-box} .Pbannertext{display:flex;align-items:center;font-size:16px;font-weight:600;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannertext img{height:20px;margin:0 6px} .Pbannerbutton a{display:flex;align-items:center;background-color:#fff;color:#ec1c40;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;padding:4px 8px;border-radius:6px;font-size:15px;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannerbutton img{height:20px;margin-right:6px} .Pbannerbutton a:hover{background-color:#f7f7f7} Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!

CNBC's Jim Cramer said Monday the data center trade isn't dead, but its next wave of winners could look very different. View More

watch nowVIDEO2:5202:52Speculative builders are driving up the cost of data center construction, says Jim CramerMad Money with Jim Cramer CNBC's Jim Cramer said Monday the data center trade isn't dead, but its next wave of winners could look very different."The data center thesis, perhaps the greatest investment theme in a generation, is now under attack and it may never be the same," the "Mad Money" host said.Data center stocks have come under pressure as politicians and local communities push back against projects over electricity costs, water use and other concerns. Cramer pointed to Pennsylvania and Texas, where governors who previously supported data center development have recently called for stricter requirements. "We know that rules can be crafted and communities can be appeased, but the unbridled buildout is most likely over," Cramer said. With the pace of development now less certain, Cramer said investors may be unwilling to pay premium valuations for data center beneficiaries such as gas turbine maker GE Vernova and memory companies Micron, Sandisk, Western Digital and Seagate, even if underlying demand remains strong. But the changing landscape could benefit Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft and Meta, he noted. Cramer said the hyperscalers have the financial resources to meet tougher regulatory and community requirements that smaller, speculative data-center developers may struggle to afford. "They're the biggest beneficiaries, because they can afford to compensate local communities and get their warehouses full of servers built," Cramer said. Fewer speculative developers could also reduce competition for land, labor and electricity, potentially lowering costs for hyperscalers as they continue building AI infrastructure.For Cramer, the political backlash doesn't mean abandoning the data center trade. Instead, it could shift the advantage toward the largest technology companies capable of continuing to build despite tougher restrictions."They're the winners," Cramer said. "I think they'll keep winning, as they've been the losers when people extrapolate the costs of building these data centers. This political pushback is a godsend for the hyperscalers."Cramer's Charitable Trust, the portfolio run by CNBC's Investing Club, owns shares of AMZN, GEV, GOOGL, META, MSFT, MU. watch nowVIDEO12:2412:24Jim Cramer tracks the winners from the data center rotationMad Money with Jim Cramer Jim Cramer's Guide to InvestingClick here to read Jim Cramer's Guide to Investing at no cost to help you build long-term wealth and invest smarter Sign up now for the CNBC Investing Club to follow Jim Cramer's every move in the market.DisclaimerQuestions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBCWant to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - InstagramQuestions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.com Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.

The CERC has now replaced the automatic revocation of grid connectivity for delayed renewable energy projects with a compensation based mechanism View More

Avaada Electro is gearing up for an initial public offering aiming to raise up to $800 million. The solar manufacturing company has partnered with several banks to oversee this potential share sale, which will feature new stock along with a secondary sale. This move aligns Avaada Electro with other players in the renewable energy sector striving for capital markets engagement, currently boasting a solar manufacturing capacity of 8.5 gigawatts. View More

Avaada Electro Ltd., the solar manufacturing arm of Avaada Group, is planning to publicly file as early as this month for an initial public offering that could raise as much as $800 million, according to people familiar with the matter. The Brookfield Renewable Partners-backed company has appointed ICICI Securities Ltd., Axis Capital Ltd. , HSBC Holdings Plc, IIFL Capital Services Ltd. and Bank of America Corp. to help manage the potential share sale in India, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. The offering is expected to consist primarily of new shares and also include a secondary sale of shares by existing investors, people said. Deliberations are ongoing and details including the size and timing of the offering could change, the people said. Representatives for Avaada Group and the banks didn’t respond to requests for comment. A representative for Brookfield declined to comment. Avaada Electro filed draft documents through India’s confidential filing route in October 2025 and received regulatory approval in April 2026. Live Events The company is joining a growing list of renewable energy firms seeking to tap India’s capital markets. Continuum Green Energy Ltd. and SAEL Industries Ltd. have received regulatory approval for IPOs, while Sembcorp Green Infra Ltd., Greenko Energies Pvt., Inox Clean Energy Ltd. and Goldi Solar Pvt. are among companies preparing to file draft documents, people familiar with the matters have said. Avaada Electro makes high-efficiency solar photovoltaic cells and modules, according to its website. The company currently operates 8.5 gigawatts of solar-cell manufacturing capacity across Nagpur and Dadri and plans to add 5.1 gigawatts, taking its total module capacity to 13.6 gigawatts. .Pbanner{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;background-color:#ec1c40;margin-top:20px;padding:5px 10px;border-radius:4px;color:#fff;line-height:10px;width: 100%;box-sizing: border-box} .Pbannertext{display:flex;align-items:center;font-size:16px;font-weight:600;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannertext img{height:20px;margin:0 6px} .Pbannerbutton a{display:flex;align-items:center;background-color:#fff;color:#ec1c40;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;padding:4px 8px;border-radius:6px;font-size:15px;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannerbutton img{height:20px;margin-right:6px} .Pbannerbutton a:hover{background-color:#f7f7f7} Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now! (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel) (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)

Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is a scale used to assess the maturity of a technology, with TRL 7 indicating that a system prototype has been demonstrated in an operational environment. View More

New Delhi: India is expected to witness significant growth in sodium-ion battery technology as researchers have reached Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 and above, Renewable Energy Secretary Santosh Kumar Sarangi said on Friday, noting that the technology could move from pilot projects to commercial production within two to three years. "A lot of research is going on in this area. In sodium-ion batteries , there are researchers who have reached a TRL of 7 and above. Once you reach that stage, moving from a pilot to commercial production should take anywhere between two to three years. So, we should expect significant growth there," Sarangi said responding to a question from on the sidelines of the BNEF Summit. Technology Readiness Level (TRL) is a scale used to assess the maturity of a technology, with TRL 7 indicating that a system prototype has been demonstrated in an operational environment. Sarangi said the government expects alternative battery technologies to play an increasing role as India expands energy storage to support the growing share of renewable energy. On vanadium flow batteries, he said domestic manufacturers are working to develop supply capacity, while growing demand could help bring down costs. Live Events "In vanadium flow batteries, as I mentioned, NTPC Green Energy Limited has placed an order for 100 megawatts. There are domestic manufacturers who are working and ensuring the supply of that capacity," he said. "Once the demand grows and the volume increases, we expect vanadium flow battery prices to fall, and that will be a game changer in the future," Sarangi added. Sarangi said the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) estimates that India would have about 411 GWh of energy storage by 2031-32 and that the country is on track to achieve the requirement earlier. "The CEA estimates suggest that we would have about 411 gigawatt-hours of storage by 2031-32. We are well on track and should, in fact, be able to achieve it before that," he said. He said the current level of storage is lower, but tenders and orders indicate that a significant amount of battery energy storage capacity is already under development. "The current level is less, but if you look at the tenders and placement of orders, about 156 gigawatt-hours of battery energy storage systems are under process and under implementation," Sarangi said. On battery recycling, Sarangi said the government is working on the issue under the existing e-waste framework. "We are working on it. That is part of the e-waste rules. But if further detailing is required, then it will be done," he said. Sarangi also said the government is working on a new scheme to support domestic polysilicon manufacturing, as the capacity expected under the earlier Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme would be limited. "The first one was a PLI scheme where polysilicon, wafers, cells and modules were all part of it. So, a very small capacity is likely to come up as part of that. But since we require a much larger capacity, we are thinking about and working on a scheme that will support the manufacturing of polysilicon," he said. He said India would look at adding at least 30 GW of polysilicon capacity by 2030 to strengthen the country's energy security and manufacturing resilience. "To ensure India's energy security and ensure that India's manufacturing resilience is maintained, a capacity of 30 gigawatts and above should be good for the Indian context. So, we would look at least 30 gigawatts of capacity addition by 2030," Sarangi said. .Pbanner{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;background-color:#ec1c40;margin-top:20px;padding:5px 10px;border-radius:4px;color:#fff;line-height:10px;width: 100%;box-sizing: border-box} .Pbannertext{display:flex;align-items:center;font-size:16px;font-weight:600;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannertext img{height:20px;margin:0 6px} .Pbannerbutton a{display:flex;align-items:center;background-color:#fff;color:#ec1c40;text-decoration:none;font-weight:600;padding:4px 8px;border-radius:6px;font-size:15px;font-family:'Montserrat';} .Pbannerbutton img{height:20px;margin-right:6px} .Pbannerbutton a:hover{background-color:#f7f7f7} Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!

Polysilicon is used to make ingots, which are then processed into wafers and used to produce solar cells. View More

The plans for a subsidy push comes as the world’s third largest renewable energy market aims to have a 30 gigawatt (GW) polysilicon capacity by the end of this decade View More

Market experts showed skepticism at whether the push would succeed against a bevy of factors working against Treasurys. View More

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to members of the media outside the White House in Washington, Aug. 20, 2026.Yuri Gripas | Abaca | Bloomberg | Getty Images Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insisted Thursday that he has multiple weapons at his disposal to quell liquidity problems in the government debt market and restore calm. While that's true in itself, a two-pronged effort he has deployed so far — accelerated buybacks and an effort to talk the market into accepting the rationale — have met with little success.The Treasury announcement Wednesday that it would at least double its bond buybacks starting in early September sent yields tumbling as investors applauded a backstop for longer-maturity government bonds.However, yields at the long end quickly rose again Thursday as market experts showed skepticism at whether the push would succeed against a bevy of factors working against Treasurys.Then on Thursday, Bessent appeared on CNBC with assurances that the intervention was merely aimed at providing market liquidity and not at trying to control the yield curve. While yields initially nudged lower, they quickly rebounded amid criticism of how the prior day's announcement was rolled out, leading one analyst to characterize the appearance as having "minimal impact" on the market pressures. watch nowVIDEO4:3904:39No panic or worry on Treasury's behalf, says SMBC’s Joe LavorgnaPower Lunch Still, that leaves Bessent with a variety of options that he may yet choose to deploy."We have a big toolkit," the Treasury chief said. "Part of it is signaling here and to show that we believe that the yields don't reflect the underlying fundamentals."Yet markets are still worried, and criticism rose that the size of the buybacks, which Bessent confirmed could exceed $4 billion, would be rendered ineffective in such a large market.Evercore ISI analyst Krishna Guha called the plan "a weak form of Operation Twist," or a Federal Reserve initiative that swaps longer-term notes and bonds for short-term bills. The move "in itself will have little enduring impact and could backfire if it is seen as signaling concern about the ability to fund longer-term at acceptable cost," he said. The interview "had minimal impact on the bond market," he added.That leaves Bessent with a handful of other options, none guaranteed to work and each carrying its own risk:Bigger and more frequent buybacks: Bessent simply could say the initial round of stepped-up buybacks went so well that Treasury is going larger. Smaller auctions: The department simply could cut down on the level of longer-dated debt it is issuing and shift it into shorter-term bills, an approach Bessent criticized strongly when it was employed by his predecessor, Janet Yellen.Change the maturity composition of outstanding debt: This essentially would be a larger-scale version of smaller auctions and would require market participants to snap up shorter-duration — and lower-yielding — debt, a risky proposition. "Global investors know that struggling sovereigns often resort to shorter dated issuance. We think the US is different from all others, but it is not different without limit," Guha, who is Evercore's head of economics and central bank strategy, said in a client note.Invoking the 'Bessent put': Markets already are using the term to describe the Treasury moves, and the secretary can use his tools in an unpredictable manner to keep anyone betting against U.S. debt off guard. "We think this is much more suited to the type of tactical guerilla operation to catch shorts off-guard, impose losses and create a perception of two-sided risk that may slow down a fundamentals-driven move in yields and prevent overshooting — the smoothing version," Guha wrote. "The problem is that this may not have much lasting impact on where yields are a few months from now." Credibility at stake Whichever route he chooses — and he could also choose to do nothing and let the markets sort it out — Bessent could face credibility challenges from a market already growing skeptical and leery of the challenges Treasurys are facing.Jefferies' chief U.S. economist, Thomas Simons, complained that the buyback announcement itself was improper. He pointed out that the move came two weeks after Treasury announced its quarterly refunding plans, during which it gave no indication that it was considering changing the buyback scheme."This breaks with Treasury's long-held strategy of making 'regular and predictable' announcements, and using the Refunding to announce almost all of their policy changes and guidance," Simons wrote. "We do not think it is hyperbole to say that this break in communication strategy reduces the overall credibility of their guidance." watch nowVIDEO19:0819:08Watch CNBC's full interview with Treasury Secretary Scott BessentSquawk on the Street Moreover, Simons added that "the sloppy wording of [the] headline on [the] release gave the impression that this was a hastily made decision."The challenge, then, for Bessent could be that efforts to suppress longer-end yields could give investors another reason to demand more compensation. Factors at play Along the lines of what Bessent told CNBC on Thursday, not all of the factors at play are fundamental. They include rising competition from corporate bond issuance as well as suddenly attractive yields of other sovereigns including Japan; a correlation with oil prices that in turn increases inflation fears; and increasing term premiums, or the extra yield investors are demanding.To combat those problems, Bessent could seek cooperation with the Federal Reserve. Though Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh has stressed the importance of letting the market set rates, Bessent suggested Thursday that the two entities "would work together" in dealing with complications in the bond markets and as the central bank manages its own Treasury holdings.The various moving parts come during a paradigm shift in the government debt markets, both in the U.S. and globally."There has also been a structural shift in who buys U.S. government debt," said Atsi Sheth, chief credit officer at Moody's Ratings. "As central banks shrink their balance sheets and traditional duration buyers reach the limits of how much additional issuance they can absorb, new buyers, such as leveraged hedge funds running relative-value strategies, are playing a bigger role."On top of all that, the U.S. faces a daunting fiscal situation in the form of a deficit-to-GDP ratio of nearly 6%, or about triple its average from the end of World War II until the Covid pandemic. That is compounding a problem with the national debt, which just surpassed $40 trillion.With President Donald Trump hungry for tax cuts and Congress showing few signs of spending restraint, the fiscal problems are likely to mount. To that end, Bessent said he and Russell Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget, will meet soon to discuss "fiscal consolidation," generally understood to refer to efforts to reduce red ink."It's that combination of the deficits, the borrowing needs, inflation expectations, not really knowing what future Fed policy is going to be, and the sustainability of being able to issue higher, ever higher, levels of U.S. Treasury debt, and what rates those need to be at," said JoAnne Bianco, senior investment strategist at BondBloxx. "There's just the idea that there needs to be a higher risk premium for all the issuance." watch nowVIDEO4:5304:53Former CEA chair Jason Furman: Treasury can't change 'underlying fundamentals' of the curveSquawk on the Street Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.