REI Alumni Spotlight – Sumanta De, TATA Group

GMC Certificate Achievers & REI Alumni Spotlight

Assistant General Manager – Electrical, TATA Group, Sumanta De

The Renewable Energy Institute is pleased to focus on the achievements of those who have attended the REI’s accredited Renewable Energy courses and accomplished the internationally recognised Galileo Master Certificate to further their careers in the Green Energy sector.

This month, the REI is delighted to speak with Sumanta De, Assistant General Manager – Electrical at TATA Group, to hear about his experience studying the new Carbon Finance Course. Sumanta is part of the Renewable Energy Institute’s global network of course participants from over 150 countries worldwide, including delegates from PwC, Hilton International Hotels, EDF Energy, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and many more.

TATA Group, established in 1868, is a multinational organisation operating in over 150 countries worldwide. The group has companies spanning many industries, from aviation to hospitality to real estate and telecoms. 

The REI’s Accredited Carbon Finance Consultant Expert Certificate is available to study flexibly online from home over a 6-month period with access to tutorial videos led by renowned academic professors and industry experts. The courses can also be studied as part of the Accredited Master in Renewable Energy Award for those wishing to enhance their career even further.

1. Hi Sumanta, what is your professional background and how does this relate to the Renewable Energy field?

I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and have 18 years of professional experience in the field of Electrical System Design and Engineering for Power Generations, Distribution Systems and Plant Electrifications. Currently, I have been working with TATA Consulting Engineers Limited, as Assistant General Manager – Electrical within the Power Business Unit. 

My overall professional experience is blended with knowledge and expertise acquired through the execution of both non-renewable energy and renewable energy projects and proposal engineering. However, for the past 12 years, I have been exclusively focusing on the renewable energy sector and aspiring to work more in the diversified segments of the renewable energy sector. Following my aspirations, at different stages of my career, I have had opportunities to work in the field of Hydroelectric, Waste to Energy, Combined Heat and Power, Biomass and Solar Power plant projects and proposals. At present, I have started working on Green Hydrogen and Ammonia plant projects. Further, I have aspirations to work in the other versatile fields of renewable energy sectors like Electric Vehicles, Wind Power, Energy Storage, Wave Energy, Solar Water Heating etc. Altogether, my background and expertise relate to the Renewable Energy field and I always stay focused on growing more and expanding my knowledge in the sector.

Find out more about the REI’s Renewable Energy courses here.

“The REI’s courses are designed for professionals, allowing me to attend as per my convenience in parallel to my job.”

– TATA Group, Sumanta De

2. Why did you choose to study Carbon Finance with the Renewable Energy Institute?

Since last year, I have been exploring opportunities to learn more and enrich my knowledge further in the versatile segments of the renewable energy sector, through attending online courses. The REI’s courses are designed for professionals, allowing me to attend at my convenience in parallel to my job.

After exploring the course details available with the Renewable Energy Institute, I have become particularly interested in attending the Accredited Master Award in Renewable Energy course. I found the flexibility to attend the courses online, as per my convenience, even while on business travels. The Carbon Finance course particularly covers the versatile areas of renewable energy. I was even allowed the flexibility to sit the online remote exam and achieve the internationally recognised GMC Certificate after successfully attending and completing the course. As the course is conducted online and virtually, no travel is required. This made it convenient to attend from anywhere I needed to. The courses are delivered by experts and the course materials are prepared with enough academic information to build up knowledge in the respective areas. Also, various supplementary materials are available which further extended the opportunity to study and enhance my learning and development. 

3. What skills and knowledge have you gained from the Carbon Finance course?

Prior to attending the Carbon Finance course, I did not have much knowledge about the subject. Having attended, I learned a wide range of topics, including carbon accounting and reporting; key accounting and reporting principles; standards and guidelines; emissions reporting, different types of carbon footprints; GHG emission categories and insightful illustrations on Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3; GHG inventory methodology and related calculation tools and different approaches; the concept of Net-Zero and related targets, decarbonisation strategy, carbon market. Overall, it was a very comprehensive course on carbon finance.

“I was even allowed the flexibility to sit the online remote exam and achieve the internationally recognised GMC Certificate after successfully attending and completing the course.”

TATA Group, Sumanta De

4. How will you apply these skills to your career?

Attending the Carbon Finance course has provided me with an adequate knowledge base which further paves a way forward and will allow me to start engaging in Net-Zero projects and activities. I can participate in related forums, which I will now be able to contribute to more. Also, various organisations across the globe are keeping ambitious targets of achieving Net-Zero and have been working proactively to reach the targeted goals, so there are plenty of opportunities available to apply these skills in my career.

5.  All around the world, companies, and organisations are preparing for a transition to a net-zero carbon future. What are TATA Group’s goals for sustainability?

At present, I have been working with TATA Consulting Engineers Limited, a part of TATA Group and 100 % subsidiary of Tata Sons Limited. The TATA Group’s sustainability policy articulates how TATA companies create long-term stakeholder value by integrating economic, environmental and social considerations. The policy will help TATA companies integrate sustainability considerations into all decisions and key work processes, mitigating future risks and maximising opportunities. It embodies the principles of product stewardship by enhancing the health, safety, environmental and social impacts of products and services across their life cycles. Further, under the policy, TATA companies commit to aspire to global sustainability leadership in the sectors they operate in by constituting a governance structure to oversee sustainability endeavours. The governance process, under the aegis of the Boards, identifies relevant sustainability issues and develops comprehensive sustainability strategies with goals, targets, mitigation and adaptation action plans.

You can read relevant highlights below regarding TATA Group’s goals for sustainability. You can also obtain further information from the TATA Sustainability Group website, www.tatasustainability.com.

– The crown jewel of TATA Group, TATA Consultancy Services, has articulated its plans to be a net-zero emission company by 2030 and will reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2025. TCS is also taking efforts on water conservation and waste management through reduction and recycling initiatives on all its campuses.

–          TATA Steel is focussing on sustainable steel production and steel recycling initiatives. Tata Steel is leveraging technology to evolve innovative ways to enhance its environmental responsiveness. TATA Steel has made progress in its steel-recycling business initiative, which is a definitive step towards sustainable steel production. It will enable TATA Steel to achieve lower carbon emissions, resource consumption and energy utilisation. TATA Steel became a member of ResponsibleSteel in FY21; it is the steel industry’s first global multi-stakeholder standard and certification initiative. It is also a signatory to the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures and has identified transition risks and opportunities to decarbonise its operations over a period and plans to mitigate these risks across all geographies. In September 2021, TATA Steel commissioned a 5 tonnes per day (TPD) carbon capture plant at its Jamshedpur Works, making it the country’s first steel company to adopt such a carbon capture technology that extracts CO2 directly from the Blast Furnace gas. TATA Steel will reuse the captured CO2 on-site to promote the circular carbon economy.

–          Sustainability has increasingly become a focus for many chemical companies globally and the trend will gain further momentum in CY 2021. To get ready for this TATA Chemicals has committed to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reduce CO2 emissions. Its Carbon Capture Unit in the UK is nearing completion and will help TATA Chemicals in meeting its targets. TATA Chemicals is also focussing on digitalisation for resource-efficient, safer and smart factories. 

–          TATA Motors is following the GHG protocol recommendations to define its measurement scopes and boundaries. As a Roadmap to Net Zero, Sustainability is being brought into the centre of Business Strategy for all Horizons to meet the Net Zero targets. It would take all of TATA Motors’ products to be equipped with Zero Tailpipe emission technologies to enable Net Zero Emissions along with Greening of the Supply Chain and the Electricity Grid. TATA Motors is committed to Renewable Energy RE100 by 2030, from 20% in 2021 and GHG scope 1+2 emission targets SBTi framework. 

6. Any extra comments you would like to make about the course, quality of teaching or learning experience?

I would like to highlight that I really benefited from attending the courses. I have been learning new and diversified areas of the renewable energy sector and strengthening my knowledge base to grow and move my career in the renewable energy sector forward. I would also like to highlight the coordination I have been receiving from the team at the Renewable Energy Institute, which is greatly appreciated. 

Do you want to upskill with the Renewable Energy Institute? There are only limited places available on the Accredited Master in Renewable Energy Award, book your place now and study from home. If you would like more details on this programme, or would like to register, please email training@renewableinstitute.org for more information. Alternatively, you can call us on +44 (0)131 446 9479.