After 20+ Years with CES, A New Chapter Begins!

The day has finally arrived! Today marks my first working day outside of Customized Energy Solutions after an incredible journey of 20+ years — over 7,500 days (though who's really counting). Reflecting on this time, it feels like the blink of an eye, filled with excitement, camaraderie, and a shared mission to reshape the global energy landscape.

Looking back, the past 20 years can be divided into four key phases:

2004-2009: Laying the Foundation

In these early years, we focused on building consulting practices to leverage the deep expertise of the MarketIQ team, helping emerging technologies — demand response, smart grids, storage, and EVs — integrate into electricity markets. I was fortunate to work for CES while completing my doctoral research at Carnegie Mellon University, focusing on the economics of demand response and energy storage in competitive electricity markets. This work led to numerous market rule changes, which helped pave the way for both the demand response and energy storage industries in the US.

2010-2014: Global Expansion

In 2010, we launched CES India. Netra Walawalkar took on the challenge of exploring wholesale market opportunities in India, and we entered the market through Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) and also launched India's 1st Demand Response program for TATA Power in Mumbai. During this time, inspired by my role on the US Energy Storage Association board, we also launched the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) in 2012.

2015-2019: Building Global Thought Leadership from India

This period was about establishing CES and IESA as leaders in India's energy transformation, while continuing to shape the US markets for emerging technologies. I was able to focus on policy advocacy in India, pushing for key regulatory changes to open markets for storage and EV adoption. We expanded our consulting offerings with a focus on technology due diligence and manufacturing strategy. We also launched MICRO (Microgrid Initiative for Campus and Rural Opportunities). Through IESA we also formed strong partnerships with global agencies such as The World Bank Group, IRENA, International Solar Alliance, and US Department of Energy.

2020-2024: Thriving Through Challenges

The past five years have been a time of exponential growth for CES India, despite unprecedented challenges like COVID-19. The team's resilience allowed us not only to sustain but to thrive, and CES India's operations have tripled in size. I am excited to see the ideas and initiatives we've worked on start to materialize in real-world projects both in US and India, with a bright future ahead as the world moves towards rapid decarbonization.

None of this would have been possible without the trust and collaboration of our clients. Over the past two decades, we have had the pleasure of working with some of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies in the energy storage and EV space such as The AES Corporation, A123 Systems, Amara Raja Energy & Mobility, Ather Energy, BASF, Cummins Inc., EPRI, Fluence, NEC Corporation, NYSERDA, Ola Electric, Tesla, and many more. From startups to industry leaders, I extend my heartfelt thanks to all clients and partners.

I would also like to take a moment to express my deep gratitude to the many government officials and policymakers I've had the fortune of working with, both in the US and India. Whether it was through contributing to regulations that opened up markets for energy storage or advancing EV adoption policies, I am immensely thankful for the collaboration, guidance, and vision shared by agencies such as FERC, US DOE, CERC, CEA, MNRE, Ministry of Heavy Industries, and NITI Aayog, among others. Together, we've laid the groundwork for a cleaner, more resilient energy future.

I will continue contributing in an advisory role as Chairman of India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), supporting the amazing Emerging Technology and consulting team in the months ahead. While I may be stepping back from the driver's seat, I am confident the team is well-positioned to continue making an impact.

I am immensely grateful to Stephen Fernands for giving me the opportunity to build a global platform through CES, and I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with me.

As I look towards the future, I find myself embarking on a new journey with the same passion for accelerating clean energy transformation across the globe.