Dr. Rahul Walawalkar, President of the NetZero Energy Transition Association (NETRA), has received the IEEE Power & Energy Society's Hingorani Award for his contributions to energy storage solutions. The award was presented at the 11th International Conference on Power Systems at IIT Hyderabad, with Samir Chandra Saxena, Chairman and Managing Director of Grid Controller of India Limited, among the attendees.
The Hingorani Award, named after power systems engineer Dr. Narain Hingorani, recognises work that has advanced the power and energy field. Dr. Walawalkar's selection acknowledges his two decades of work in energy storage advocacy, technical leadership, and policy development.
During his time at Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Walawalkar contributed to economic models for demand response programs and pay-for-performance services used in modern electricity grids. Industry colleagues note his ability to translate technical concepts into market strategies.
In India, Dr. Walawalkar played a key role in developing the National Energy Storage Mission and provided technical guidance for the Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Production Linked Incentive scheme. The PLI scheme aims to establish India's position in battery manufacturing and has attracted investment from major industry players since its implementation.
Dr. Walawalkar has also worked with international organisations including IRENA, the World Bank, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the International Solar Alliance, facilitating knowledge sharing and technology deployment across multiple regions.
"Receiving an IEEE Power Engineering Society award established in honour of Dr. Hingorani for my contributions to the energy storage community over the past two decades is truly humbling," Dr. Walawalkar said. "This recognition has recharged my commitment to accelerate the global net-zero transition by applying these learnings in the decisive decade ahead."
Under Dr. Walawalkar's leadership, NETRA has developed into a platform connecting industry, researchers, and policymakers to advance net-zero technologies. A senior official from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy commented that the recognition reflects growing international acknowledgement of India's clean energy transition efforts.
The award comes as countries worldwide work to meet climate targets, with energy storage playing an increasingly important role in grid decarbonisation and renewable energy integration.