NETRA President Rahul Walawalkar Wins Global IEEE Award For Work On ESS

Rahul Walawalkar, President of the NetZero Energy Transition Association (NETRA), has received the IEEE Power & Energy Society’s Hingorani Award for his contributions to advancing energy storage technologies.

The award was presented at the 11th International Conference on Power Systems at IIT Hyderabad, in the presence of Grid Controller of India Chairman and Managing Director Samir Chandra Saxena and other officials.

Recognising Contributions In the Power Sector 

Named after power systems engineer Narain Hingorani, the award recognises individuals whose work has significantly advanced the power and energy sector. IEEE cited Walawalkar’s two decades of technical leadership, policy advocacy and market development in energy storage.

Walawalkar, who studied at Carnegie Mellon University, contributed early research on demand response and pay-for-performance models that underpin modern electricity markets. Colleagues describe him as an executive able to translate complex technical issues into market and regulatory frameworks.

In India, he was closely involved in the formulation of the National Energy Storage Mission and provided technical inputs to the government’s ACC battery manufacturing incentive scheme, which has drawn significant private investment.

Global Experiences 

Walawalkar has also collaborated with international bodies including IRENA, the World Bank, the U.S. Department of Energy and the International Solar Alliance on clean energy deployment and policy exchange.

“Receiving an IEEE award established in honour of Dr. Hingorani for my contributions to the energy storage community over the past two decades is truly humbling,” Walawalkar said, adding that the recognition strengthened his resolve to support the global net-zero transition.

A senior official at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy said the award underscored India’s growing credibility in clean energy systems and highlighted Walawalkar’s influence on emerging engineers and policymakers.

The recognition comes as countries accelerate efforts to decarbonise power systems, with energy storage seen as a critical enabler of high renewable penetration.