Implement RE100 Roadmap for your Company :
A Manager’s Practical, Phased Guide to 100% Renewable Electricity
India is in the middle of a major power transition. Renewable capacity has scaled rapidly, corporate procurement options have matured, and regulators are steadily enabling more open access and green market instruments. For Indian companies; especially those with energy-intensive operations committing to 100% renewable electricity is no longer a branding exercise; it is a cost, risk, and resilience strategy. An RE100 roadmap is the structured plan that takes an organization from its current electricity mix to 100% renewable electricity within a defined timeframe, with credible accounting, procurement, and governance.
Below is a practical RE100-style roadmap tailored to the realities of operating in India: multiple sites, varying state regulations, evolving grid conditions, and the need to balance cost with operational continuity.
1) Establish the Baseline and Define the Target
Start with a defensible electricity inventory. Map all electricity consumption across India operations and, if relevant, overseas sites. Segment usage by facility (plants, warehouses, offices), meter type, contracted demand, and supply arrangement (utility, open access, captive). At this stage, the goal is not perfection; it is transparency.
Define the target boundary and timeline. Many companies choose a 2030 or 2035 target, with interim milestones (for example, 60% by 2028, 90% by 2030). Ensure the scope includes all “material” electricity loads, not just corporate offices. If the company has subsidiaries or joint ventures, document what is included and what is excluded, and why.
Deliverable: a baseline dashboard showing annual kWh by site, peak demand patterns, current tariffs, and emissions intensity (location-based and market-based where applicable).
2) Build Internal Governance and Decision Rights
RE100 execution fails most often due to fragmented ownership. Create a cross-functional program team with clear decision rights: Sustainability (strategy and reporting), Procurement (contracting), Legal (regulatory and contract risk), Finance (capital and hedging), and Operations (load planning and reliability). Appoint a single accountable owner and create a steering committee that meets monthly during design and quarterly during execution.
Set procurement principles early: acceptable contract tenors, credit requirements, preferred technologies (solar/wind/hybrid), risk appetite for price indexation, and criteria for additionality. Align the program with broader ESG, decarbonization, and cost objectives.
Deliverable: RE100 policy, governance charter, and a stage-gate approval process for projects and contracts.
3) Prioritize Energy Efficiency Before Procurement
The cheapest renewable unit is the one you do not consume. Conduct site-level energy audits and implement no-regret measures: HVAC optimization, compressed air leak management, variable frequency drives, process heat recovery, motor upgrades, and power factor correction. In manufacturing, even a 5–10% reduction in electricity demand materially lowers the renewable capacity required and reduces open access exposure.
Create an efficiency pipeline with payback-based prioritization, and connect it to operational KPIs so savings persist.
Deliverable: an efficiency implementation plan with quantified kWh savings and a measured verification approach.
4) Choose the Right Procurement Portfolio for India
India does not offer one universal pathway; procurement must be state- and site-specific. A robust roadmap typically blends four levers:
a) On-site solar (CAPEX or RESCO): Ideal for facilities with large roof/land and daytime loads. It provides visible progress and reduces grid purchases, though it may not cover 24/7 operations.
b) Off-site (open access) renewables: Suitable for large, steady loads. Options include third-party PPAs, group captive structures, or captive generation. This route can provide significant volumes(upto 70-80%) at predictable prices but requires careful state-level regulatory assessment and strong operations/settlement capabilities.
c) Green tariffs / utility green supply: Useful for smaller sites or where open access is constrained. It often has simpler implementation but may carry a premium cost or limited availability.
d) Certificates / attributes (where permitted and credible): These help bridge gaps where physical procurement is not feasible in the near term. Use them strategically, not as a permanent substitute for long-term decarbonization.
The optimal mix depends on load profile, site geography, and risk appetite. A common strategy is: on-site solar for quick wins, open access for bulk energy, and certificates for residual gaps during transition.
Deliverable: a site-by-site procurement map indicating the chosen instrument, expected renewable share, and implementation sequence.
5) Manage Variability, Reliability, and “24/7” Ambitions
RE100 is about annual electricity matching, not necessarily real-time matching. Still, operations teams care about reliability and power quality. For plants with critical loads, integrate renewables with reliability measures: UPS, power conditioning, demand response, and increasingly, battery energy storage for peak shaving and backup.
If the company wants to go beyond RE100 toward 24/7 carbon-free energy, begin with pilots at one or two sites: hourly metering, load shifting opportunities, and hybrid renewable contracts (solar + wind + storage). This builds capabilities without overstretching.
Deliverable: reliability risk assessment and an integration plan for storage and demand-side management.
6) Contracting, Risk Controls, and Financial Planning
Treat renewable procurement like a long-term cost and risk hedge. Key contract considerations include: tariff structure (fixed vs indexed), curtailment clauses, change-in-law provisions, settlement mechanisms, generation guarantees, and termination rights. Finance should model scenarios across tariff changes, policy shifts, and load growth.
Where feasible, use a portfolio approach rather than one mega-contract. Diversify across states, developers, and technologies to reduce correlation risk.
Deliverable: a financial model and risk register covering regulatory, counterparty, volume, and operational risks.
7) Measurement, Reporting, and Claims Integrity
Credibility matters. Establish systems to track kWh consumption, renewable generation, and attribute ownership at a granular level. Document methodology for market-based accounting, certificate retirement (if used), and how double counting is avoided. Align reporting with relevant standards used by sustainability frameworks and investors.
Deliverable: an auditable renewable electricity ledger and an annual assurance-ready reporting pack.
8) Implementation Timeline: A Realistic Phasing
Phase 1 (0–6 months): Baseline, governance, audits, quick on-site solar scoping, pilot procurement for one large site.
Phase 2 (6–18 months): Scale on-site deployments, sign first open access or group captive contracts, implement tracking systems.
Phase 3 (18–36 months): Expand portfolio across states, add hybrid contracts, begin storage where economically justified.
Phase 4 (36 months+): Close residual gaps, optimize costs, pursue 24/7 pilots, tighten assurance and disclosures.
Closing Thought
An RE100 roadmap in India is not a single procurement decision; it is a multi-year transformation program that combines efficiency, smart contracting, regulatory navigation, and strong data discipline. Companies that execute it well typically end up with lower long-term electricity price volatility, improved resilience, and a credible decarbonization story that stands up to investor and customer scrutiny.