India Power Forum – September 12, 2025 | New Delhi
Join us on September 12, 2025, in New Delhi for the India Power Forum, where industry leaders and technical experts will explore the latest innovations in coal-fired thermal power technologies.
This focused session will highlight solutions that improve plant performance, reliability, availability, environmental compliance, and safety. Presentations will feature real-world case studies from India and across the globe, with particular emphasis on the unique operational challenges faced by Indian utility, industrial, and distributed power facilities.
Sheraton New Delhi Hotel
District Centre, Sector 6, Saket
New Delhi 110017, India
CONFERENCE AGENDA
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM | Registration & Networking Breakfast |
| 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM | Morning Technical Sessions (Three sessions) |
| 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM | Networking & Refreshments Break |
| 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Midday Technical Sessions (Three sessions) |
| 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Complimentary Networking Lunch |
| 2:30 PM – 4:30 PM | Afternoon Technical Sessions (Four sessions) |
| 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM | Q&A Session |
| 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM | Evening Networking Reception |
* Complimentary buffet lunch & refreshments will be provided on-site
Moderator & Organizer
Ravi Krishnan
Managing Director
Ravi Krishnan is Managing Director of Krishnan & Associates, a global energy consultancy collaborating with over 400 OEMs and technology providers worldwide, including GE Vernova, ABB, Schneider Electric, Parker, Sumitomo SHI FW, Oracle, and Baker Hughes. He is recognized for his expertise in energy marketing, strategy, analytics, and business development, and is a key presence at PowerGen and DistribuTech conferences.
Ravi has played a pivotal role in launching over 50,000 MW of thermal and renewable energy assets in India and has served as an advisor to major industry leaders such as NTPC, Adani, Tata, L&T, and ISGEC. His work spans renewable energy, grid modernisation, CO₂ capture, hydrogen, digitalization, and broader energy transition issues worldwide.
He also contributed to U.S.–India decarbonization policy as an advisor to Secretary John Kerry through a key white paper. Prior to founding K&A, Ravi co-founded several clean energy technology start-ups, including an innovative emissions control technology for stationary and mobile applications, which was sold to Fortune 500 exhaust system integrator Tenneco Automotive.
SPEAKERS
Hans Georg Conrads
CEO
Enhancing Operational Flexibility in Coal-Fired and Industrial Power Plants through Advanced Gas Flow Monitoring
India’s rapid economic growth is driving a steep rise in electricity demand, with coal-fired and industrial power plants continuing to provide essential baseload and process steam capacity. As renewable generation becomes a larger share of the energy mix, these plants must evolve—boosting flexibility, efficiency, and environmental performance to remain competitive.
In this session, Hans Conrads of Promecon GmbH will share advanced approaches to optimizing plant operations, with a focus on digital airflow measurement, improved combustion control, and enhanced mill performance. Participants will gain insights into how real-time gas flow monitoring and intelligent airflow management can cut inefficiencies, handle transient load conditions, and reduce emissions. The presentation will also outline key indicators of primary and secondary airflow imbalance, alongside practical strategies to improve overall plant responsiveness.
Drawing on real-world case studies from Indian and global coal-fired and industrial power stations, this session will demonstrate how these solutions can help operators meet stringent environmental regulations while effectively integrating with variable renewable energy sources.
Key Benefits for Coal-Fired & Industrial Power Plants
- Greater Operational Flexibility – Supports faster load changes and stable operation under variable demand conditions.
- Improved Combustion Efficiency – Enhances fuel utilization, reduces unburnt carbon, and optimizes heat rate.
- Lower Emissions – Reduces NOx and CO levels while ensuring compliance with tightening environmental standards.
Robert Santangeli
Vice President of Engineering and Operations
Reducing Slagging and Optimizing Boiler Performance in India’s Coal-Fired & Industrial Power Plants through Targeted Fuel Additive Programs
As India’s coal-fired power plants face mounting pressure to cut costs, meet environmental regulations, and integrate with a changing energy mix, the ability to handle diverse fuel types has become essential. However, blending opportunity coals or using lower-cost, off-spec fuels often leads to slagging, fouling, agglomeration, and unit derating, which can erode efficiency and increase operating costs.
This session will explore proven strategies to mitigate these issues through targeted fuel additive programs. Attendees will learn how pre-combustion additives work to inhibit deposit formation, improve heat transfer, reduce boiler exit gas temperatures, and extend cleaning intervals. The discussion will also cover performance monitoring techniques—such as high-temperature probe testing, boiler inspections, and DCS data analysis—to verify results and quantify return on investment.
Drawing on case studies from Indian and international power stations firing fuels similar to Indian, Indonesian, and Australian coals, the session will highlight how customized additive solutions can sustain high output, improve reliability, and ensure compliance with tightening emissions standards.
Key Benefits for Coal-Fired Power Plants
- Heat Rate Improvement – Maximizes fuel efficiency and overall plant performance.
- Fewer Derate Hours – Extends full-load operation, boosting capacity factors and revenue potential.
- Reduced Slagging, Fouling & Agglomeration – Minimizes cleaning frequency, prolongs maintenance cycles, and cuts unplanned outages.
Viswanath Akella
Senior Manager, Thermal Design & Business Development of HRSGs
Optimizing Combustion & Cutting NOx: Advanced RPI Burner Solutions for Power Plants
Following are the topics planned to be covered during the session:
• Basics of the process of combustion
• Introduction to RPI make LOW Nox Burners
• Advantages of the RPI make LOW Nox Burners
• Introduction to RPI make LOW Nox Burners fitted with Over Fire Air compartments
• Advantages of the RPI make LOW Nox Burners fitted with Over Fire Air compartments
Jan Andersson
Director, Market Development
Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES) & Decarbonization for India’s Power System
India’s grid expansion over the next decade will depend on integrating high levels of renewables while maintaining reliability, affordability, and competitiveness. This session from Sumitomo SHI FW explores how long-duration energy storage (LDES), with a focus on Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES), can meet these challenges. LDES enables renewable energy shifting, congestion relief, curtailment mitigation, grid stability, and firm 24×7 renewable supply. Its decoupled power and energy scaling supports 8–20-hour durations, while asset longevity and minimal degradation improve lifecycle economics. Case studies will highlight revenue stacking opportunities in capacity markets, reserves, and transmission deferral, as well as integration with industrial heat and cold. The session will also outline procurement pathways for utilities and C&I buyers to achieve large-scale decarbonization in India.
Key Benefits for Utility & Industrial Power Plants
- 24×7 Reliability – Balances renewables with thermal for firm supply.
- Lower Costs – Reduces cycling and wear on thermal plants.
- Grid Optimization – Enables peak shifting and steadier plant operation.
- Revenue Upside – Creates value through capacity, reserves, and deferral.
Ansha Naji
Founder and CEO
Beyond Monitoring: AI-Powered Digital Brain Driving Efficiency in Energy-Intensive Industries
Zerowatt is a next-generation IoT- and AI-powered energy-intelligence system built for energy-intensive industries such as steel, castings, foundries, textiles, food, glass, paper, chemicals, etc. Acting as a digital brain for the entire industry, it integrates live data from every asset and applies a dual-layer agentic AI and rule engine that functions like a world-class energy expert on duty 24×7—relentlessly uncovering every possible thermal, electrical, and mechanical loss, diagnosing brewing equipment-health issues, and prescribing precise, real-time actions for shop-floor teams, thereby bringing the power of agentic AI directly into day-to-day industrial decision-making.
Already deployed across hundreds of large industrial facilities in India, Zerowatt enables up to 30% energy-cost savings with ROI in under six months. By reducing unplanned outages, lowering carbon emissions, and enhancing reliability, the system helps industries achieve faster decarbonisation without disrupting production.
Amrit Halder
Vice President and Head – Engineering Excellence Centre (Boilers & APC Equipment)
Combustion Modification for NOx Reduction Using Primary Measures
This session by ISGEC will explore proven strategies for reducing NOx emissions in Indian coal-fired power plants through combustion system modifications and primary measures. In line with the 450 mg/Nm³ standard, the focus is on minimizing NOx formation at the source using advanced Combustion Controls, Low NOx Burners, Overfire Air, and Windbox Modifications. Case studies from 150 MW to 600 MW units demonstrate practical results, including airflow distribution modeling in a 575 MW tangentially fired boiler in the U.S. and the integration of Separated Over Fire Air (SOFA) in Indian Boiler units ranging from 80 MW to 600 MW. The discussion highlights how primary measures offer cost-effective compliance while optimizing plant performance and lifecycle economics.
Key Benefits for Utility & Industrial Power Plants
- Significant NOx Emissions Reduction – Meets stringent environmental regulations while supporting sustainable operations.
- Improved Combustion Efficiency – Optimizes fuel utilization, reduces unburnt carbon, and enhances heat rate performance.
- Operational Flexibility – Delivers reliable operation across a range of fuel types and load conditions.
Hans Georg Conrads
CEO
Advancing Cement Plant Efficiency: Digital Gas Flow Measurement in High-Dust Environment
Cement manufacturing relies on massive gas flows across grinding and pyro processes, with fan systems consuming a significant share of plant electricity. Accurate gas flow measurement is vital for process stability, yet traditional methods often lack precision, leading to overdrafting, fan inefficiencies, and fluctuations in clinker production. PROMECON introduces a digital time-of-flight gas flow measurement system that eliminates the need for differential pressure, is drift-free, and insensitive to swirl. This enables operators to optimize process control, reduce energy consumption, and enhance overall performance. The session will present the measurement principle, successful site installations, and applications across raw mills, downcomers, clinker coolers, bypass ducts, tertiary air ducts, and product mills. Case studies will demonstrate tangible benefits in efficiency, product quality, and environmental compliance, followed by an interactive Q&A.
Key Benefits for Cement Plants
- Energy Savings – Optimize fan and mill efficiency to cut power use.
- Stable Operations – Reduce flow swings and improve clinker process control.
- Better Product Quality – Consistent combustion and clinker formation.
- Environmental Compliance – Lower emissions and support decarbonization goals.
Robert Santangeli
Vice President of Engineering and Operations
Improving DeNOx Performance and Combustion Efficiency with Advanced Monitoring Technologies
With emissions regulations tightening and fuel costs rising, coal-fired, industrial, and process plants must maximize the performance of their combustion and emissions control systems. Accurate, real-time gas measurement is critical to reducing NOx at the source, improving heat rate, and ensuring the optimal efficiency of SCR and SNCR systems.
This session will explore strategies for enhancing combustion and DeNOx performance through advanced multi-point gas analyzer technology. Attendees will learn how continuous monitoring of CO, NOx, O₂, and other flue gas constituents can deliver measurable gains in emissions reduction, minimize ammonia slip, and extend catalyst life. The discussion will cover best practices for analyzer deployment in utility boilers, process furnaces, and cement kilns—especially in challenging conditions with high ash, sulfur, and moisture.
Drawing on real-world case studies, the presentation will demonstrate how robust instrumentation and intelligent system design can increase plant reliability, improve operational efficiency, and lower operating costs.
Key Benefits for Power & Industrial Plants
- Lower NOx Emissions – Meet stringent environmental standards with optimized SCR/SNCR performance.
- Improved Heat Rate – Enhance fuel efficiency through precise combustion control.
- Reduced O&M Costs – Minimize ammonia slip, extend catalyst life, and cut maintenance requirements.
Dr.Vijay Gupta
Head of Optimization
Machine Learning–Enhanced Decision Model for Optimizing Coal Supply Chains in Cement and Thermal Power Plants
Coal is a major component of generation costs in thermal power plants, making efficient procurement and logistics critical for cost-effective operations. This research develops a multi-period Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model to optimize the coal supply chain, minimizing landed and penalty costs. The model integrates procurement planning, transportation mode selection, inventory management, and contract compliance, determining optimal coal sourcing, fuel mixes, and transport routes while considering inventory, capacity, and contractual constraints such as annual contract quantities (ACQ) and penalties. It also accounts for carried-forward quotas and quality-based source selection. The MILP framework captures material balance, source availability, plant demand, and storage limits, enabling scenario analysis, bottleneck identification, and KPI monitoring. Application of the model shows potential savings of up to 0.5% of total landed cost, underscoring the value of a holistic optimization approach. By combining mathematical modeling with business intelligence tools, the research offers a scalable, practical solution to improve the efficiency, agility, and cost-effectiveness of coal logistics in thermal power generation.
Key Benefits for Coal-Fired & Industrial Power Plants
- Lower fuel costs and penalties – Optimizes sourcing, blending, and transport to cut landed costs and avoid contract penalties.
- Stronger reliability – Balances coal inventories with plant demand to prevent shortages or costly overstocking.
- Fleet-wide efficiency – Provides a unified framework across multiple plants for consistent cost savings and operational agility.
- Better decision-making – Enables scenario analysis, KPI tracking, and integration with business intelligence tools.
Arunkumar Jayapragash
Head of Engineering – Boilers
Babcock Power APAC Pvt. Ltd.’s Capabilities - Boiler Services & Upgrades
In India's power sector, where thermal power remains a dominant source of electricity generation, optimizing boiler and combustion systems is essential for enhancing plant efficiency, reducing fuel consumption, and meeting environmental compliance targets. With increasing emphasis on reducing carbon emissions and improving heat rates under regulatory frameworks and emission norms, thermal power plants are under pressure to maximize performance within existing infrastructure.
This session will highlight Babcock Power APAC Pvt. Ltd.’s capabilities with proven engineering approaches aimed at improving combustion efficiency, optimizing air-to-fuel ratios, minimizing unburnt carbon losses, and reducing NOx emissions.
Jose A. Martinez
CEO
Self-Tuning AI Control: Enabling Compliance with CEA’s Flexibility Requirements in India’s Coal-Fired Power Plants
With renewables rapidly expanding in India’s electricity mix, coal plants—never designed for flexible operation—are under pressure to adapt. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has set flexibility requirements for 500 units between 2025 and 2030, yet many remain unprepared.
Compounding this challenge are wide coal quality variations from seasonal moisture and diverse fuel sources. Hardware retrofits can help but are costly, time-consuming, and disruptive.
This session introduces ADEX Self-Tuning AI Control Technology, a cost-effective, software-based solution that integrates with existing systems. ADEX adapts in real time to fuel and operating changes, enabling:
- Faster ramping
- Lower minimum loads
- Improved plant stability
Attendees will see how AI-driven self-tuning pushes processes to their limits while maintaining stability, ensuring compliance with CEA mandates without costly shutdowns. Case studies will show how digital optimization unlocks the flexibility India’s coal fleet needs for a renewable-heavy grid.
Scott Daugherty
SVP, Chief Operating Officer
Advanced SCR Catalyst Solutions for Coal-Fired & Multi-fuel Fleet
With India’s coal-fired power plants facing tighter emissions norms and demanding operating conditions, next-generation SCR catalysts are essential for reliable NOₓ control. This seminar presents proven international utility case studies on the DustBuster® SCR catalyst, a high-dust design engineered to minimize pluggage, reduce ash buildup, and deliver sustained performance. Key features—such as erosion-resistant honeycomb geometry, larger hydraulic openings for improved gas flow, lower SO₂ conversion, and a regenerable, recyclable design—will be discussed alongside real-world installation and maintenance experiences. Attendees will learn how these advancements can lower lifecycle costs, improve plant availability, and support India’s drive for cleaner coal-based generation.
Key Benefits for Coal-Fired Power Plants
- Ensures compliance with evolving NOₓ emission norms.
- Enables cleaner coal generation to support energy transition.
- Strengthens energy security by extending coal fleet viability.
- Promotes sustainability through regenerable, recyclable design.
Stewart Nicholson
CEO
Approach Temperature Control – Proven Value for Dry Scrubber Applications
Approach temperature control technology is gaining global attention for its ability to improve performance and reduce costs in dry scrubber systems. This session will provide an overview of its deployment in coal-fired power plants and coke oven heat recovery units, highlighting its relevance for India’s evolving emissions control market. Two case studies—covering Circulating Dry Scrubber (CDS) and Spray Dryer Absorber (SDA) applications—will illustrate how precise approach temperature management enhances reliability, optimizes reagent usage, and lowers operating costs. Attendees will gain practical insights into applying this proven technology to extend equipment life and improve environmental compliance in Indian coal-fired operations.
Key Benefits for Utility & Industrial Power Plants
- Enhanced reliability: Precise approach temperature control stabilizes dry scrubber performance in coal-fired and multi-fuel operations.
- Lower operating costs: Optimized reagent usage reduces lime/sorbent consumption and overall O&M expenses.
- Extended equipment life: Minimizes wear, scaling, and corrosion, improving long-term asset durability.
- Stronger compliance: Supports India’s tightening SO₂ emission norms while improving plant efficiency.
Brett Henkel
Co-Founder and VP
Carbon Capture at Large-Scale Industrial Facilities: Leveraging CCS to Decarbonize and Unlock New Revenue Streams
- Industrial facilities and cement plants face increasing pressure to decarbonize while staying competitive.
- CCS enables deep emissions reduction, regulatory compliance, and integration with evolving energy markets.
- Beyond compliance, CCS unlocks revenue through CO₂ utilization, carbon trading, and low-carbon product opportunities.