New Delhi, June 25: The Ashoka Centre for a People-centric Energy Transition (ACPET) and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power–DDL) have signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance research, innovation, and capacity building in the domain of the energy and power sector, and to create innovative solutions to support India’s overall energy transition.
The partnership brings together ACPET’s expertise in research, data analysis, energy policy, and sustainable transitions with Tata Power–DDL’s operational experience as one of India’s leading power distribution entities. Through this collaboration, the two organisations will jointly undertake research, technology demonstrations, policy engagement, and knowledge-sharing initiatives to build a more sustainable, secure, and equitable energy future.
The collaboration comes at a critical time for India’s power sector, which is witnessing rapid technological and regulatory transformation. The expansion of renewable energy, rising electricity demand, rising consumer expectations, and the need for resilient, low-carbon infrastructure require closer collaboration between academia and industry. Emerging areas such as smart grids, electric vehicles, distributed energy resources, energy storage, demand-side management, and consumer engagement require new knowledge, practical insights, and opportunities for testing and demonstrating innovative approaches. This MoU creates a structured platform through which ACPET and Tata Power–DDL can jointly explore these opportunities and contribute to advancing industry knowledge and best practices.
As part of the collaboration, ACPET and Tata Power–DDL will jointly pursue research, innovation, customer engagement and capacity-building initiatives aimed at advancing India’s energy transition. The partnership will focus on undertaking research projects, developing policy briefs and technical reports, and generating evidence-based insights to inform industry practices and policymaking.
The collaboration will focus on joint research and learning in emerging areas such as smart grids, electric vehicles, distributed energy resources, energy storage, demand-side management, and design innovative regulatory and business models. The partners will also undertake technology demonstrations, organise expert dialogues and training programmes, facilitate knowledge exchange, and explore the establishment of a Centre of Excellence to drive innovation and strengthen institutional capabilities in the power sector.
Commenting on the partnership, Dr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & Managing Director, Tata Power, said, “India’s energy transition presents a unique opportunity to bring together research, policy, innovation and real-world implementation. As the sector evolves over the coming years, meaningful progress will depend on stronger collaboration between academia, industry, policymakers, startups and innovators. This partnership between Tata Power‘s distribution arm in Delhi and ACPET creates a unique platform that combines academic rigour, policy expertise and industry experience to address emerging energy challenges and develop practical, scalable solutions for the power sector.”
Vaibhav Chowdhary, Director, ACPET, said, “Technology alone will not deliver India’s energy transition – the human capacity to deploy, operate, and innovate around that technology is equally decisive. This partnership between Tata Power–DDL and ACPET brings together operational depth and research rigour to address both. Our shared goal is to co-create an energy system that is empirically grounded, practically tested, and designed to be sustainable, secure, and equitable for India and the Global South.”
Rakesh Kacker, Senior Advisor, ACPET, said, “India’s electricity sector is undergoing a profound transformation. We want renewable energy to scale rapidly, but we also recognise that transitions of this magnitude are shaped by historical realities, market dynamics, and technological constraints. This is where a collaboration between ACPET and Tata Power can be especially powerful. ACPET brings academic rigour and robust analytical tools, while Tata Power contributes invaluable insights from implementation on the ground. Together, we can bridge evidence and practice to shape more effective pathways for India’s energy transition.”
Dwijadas Basak, CEO, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power–DDL), said, “The power sector is undergoing a fundamental transformation driven by rapid technological advancements, growing renewable energy integration, distributed energy resources, and evolving consumer expectations. In this dynamic environment, research-led insights and evidence-based policy support are critical to shaping the future of the sector. Our partnership with ACPET will bring together industry experience and academic excellence to develop innovative solutions, strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks, and contribute meaningfully to India’s energy transition journey.”
As part of the collaboration, Tata Power–DDL will support dedicated research personnel and provide infrastructure access, while both institutions will jointly design and implement research projects, consumer awareness programmes, and dissemination of research outcomes. A Joint Steering Committee comprising representatives from both organisations will provide strategic oversight and guide future activities.
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment by ACPET and Tata Power–DDL to address the complex technological, regulatory, and societal dimensions of the energy transition. By fostering innovation and translating research into practice, the partnership aims to contribute to India’s vision of a sustainable and secure energy future.