The business conclave focused on renewable energy powering India's business growth, while addressing issues relating to inclusive growth and sustainability. The conclave saw participation from industry leaders like Mr. Som Mittal (President NASSCOM), Mr. Arun Seth Chairman, British Telecom India and Alcatel-Lucent India, Mr. V. Subramanian (Secretary General, Indian Wind Energy Association) and Mr. Rajiv Mehrotra, Vihaan Network Ltd. amongst other industry leaders.
Greenpeace India and CyberMedia India Online Ltd were represented through Mr. Samit Aich (Executive Director, Greenpeace India) and Mr. Prasanto K Roy (Chief Editor, CyberMedia India Ltd). The discussions revolved around the long term business sustainability and growth through renewable energy, identifying challenges on investments in renewable energy and the key policies required to enable such development of renewable energy, while securing India's energy needs.
The 5th version of the Cool IT Leaderboard, finds global internet search engine giant Google taking the lead followed by Cisco and Ericsson. Google scored particularly well for its political advocacy work and for sourcing renewable energy to its infrastructure. Indian software giant Wipro remains one among top 10 companies in the latest ranking particularly for its good performance in reducing its own carbon emission, developing strong mitigation strategies and having an explicit position on the national solar mission. Among the Indian companies, new entrant HCL scores highest for developing a wide range of IT-based climate solutions for other industrial sectors. Another new Indian entrant TCS shows good performance on advocacy on all the three criteria.
"Concerns on price volatility and availability of fossil fuels, including oil and coal are best addressed by creating an enabling environment for the large-scale uptake of renewable energy. This should include establishing one single national aggregate renewable energy target (at least 15% by 2020), and creating a green energy collateral fund to drive investments. The ICT sector with its inherent ability to troubleshoot now needs to step up its technological and advocacy leadership to realize this ambitious, renewably powered inclusive economic growth." said Samit Aich, Executive Director, Greenpeace India.
CyberMedia and Greenpeace urged the government and the industry to focus on the following to ensure a boost for renewable energy in India to -
(a) Establish a clear and ambitious national aggregate renewable energy target
(b)Create mandatory escalating Renewable Energy Purchase Obligations for each state with a strong compliance and monitoring regime
(c) Increase public investment in innovation through support for research and development
(d) Establish a renewable energy collateral fund
Commenting on the development within the conference, Prasanto K Roy, Chief Editor, CyberMedia India Ltd, said,"ICT has played a major role in the development of India and its propulsion into the global economy. In the decade ahead, the growth of distributed renewable energy will severely challenge ICT, while creating a great opportunity not just for energy independence but also as a new ICT domain with enormous potential for business and jobs for the technology sectors."
For further information:
Abhishek Pratap, Senior Campaigner- Renewable Energy, Greenpeace India
Ph: +91 98 456 10 749
Email: 
Casey Harrell, Climate & Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace International
Ph: +1 41 530 73 382
Email: 
Shashwat Raj, Media Officer, Greenpeace India
Ph: +91 96 8686 1974
Email: 
Seema Javed, Sr Media Officer, Greenpeace India
Ph: +91 99100 59765
Email: 
Notes to Editor
1. The 5th version of the Leaderboard is available at: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/cool-it-leaderboard-5
2. Companies were chosen based on their clean energy leadership potential, including opportunities to drive clean energy solutions and potential to influence energy decisions on all levels of government. Six telecommunications companies were added since the latest version along with major IT software and equipment brands from India and Japan. Major IT software and equipment brands from India and Japan: HCL, TCS and NEC Six telecommunications companies were added in the latest version: AT&T, Telefónica, Vodafone, Softbank, Alcatel-Lucent, and NTT
Full Ranking and Criteria: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/cool-it-leaderboard-5
3. Greenpeace's wider campaign focusing on the IT and Telecom industry: www.greenpeace.org/coolit
4. Of the companies that were evaluated in version 4 in 2011, only Wipro and Sharp saw their advocacy leadership scores improve, with the rest going down.