Davos 2026: India hitting energy transition milestones early, but AI power demand, energy security next tests: WEF’s Roberto Bocca

Roberto Bocca, Head of the Center for Energy and Materials, World Economic Forum, in conversation with Chandra R Srikanth, Deputy Executive Editor, Moneycontrol at WEF 2026 in Davos.

India is moving faster than expected on its energy transition targets, but the next phase will be defined by rising electricity demand from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the need to treat energy security as a national priority, Roberto Bocca, Head of the Center for Energy and Materials at the World Economic Forum, told Moneycontrol.

Bocca said India has a “very ambitious plan” and is already achieving some of the key milestones “even earlier than planned,” pointing to India’s progress in building renewable capacity and expanding electricity infrastructure.

India added close to 50 GW of power generation capacity in 2025, largely driven by renewable energy (44.5 GW), compared with 28 GW in the previous year, according to industry estimates.

India aims to add 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030, but delays in project execution and transmission constraints have emerged as major hurdles.

Bocca spoke to Moneycontrol on the sidelines of the 56th edition of WEF in Davos-Klosters, scheduled between January 19-23, and will bring together nearly 3,000 leaders from over 130 countries, including 400 top political leaders and 850 CEOs.

Transition is not just about sustainability

Meanwhile, Bocca highlighted that the energy transition cannot be seen only through the lens of sustainability.

“Energy transition has always been about three dimensions, one being sustainability, the other being security, and the third being affordability,” said Bocca.

Energy security now goes beyond fuel access

“In the past, energy security would be mainly access to fossil fuel, oil, and gas,” Bocca said.

He added that energy security is now a broader concept because it involves infrastructure and the grid, pointing to the growing importance of electrification, cyber resilience, and material supply chains.

AI will require more power, but could also improve efficiency

Bocca’s comments come as AI-led computing needs begin to change the demand curve for electricity, with countries having to plan capacity and infrastructure ahead of the curve.

“The big debate now is, of course, AI will require more energy,” Bocca said.

At the same time, he argued that AI could play a role in making energy systems more efficient.

“AI can play a critical role in optimizing the system and bringing more efficiency to the system,” Bocca said, describing this as a convergence between energy technology and digital technology.

Clean fuels matter, not just renewable electricity

Beyond electricity, Bocca also flagged the importance of cleaner fuels as part of India’s transition strategy. He said the transition cannot be framed only around renewables and the grid, since economies will continue to need fuels for years.

“We all talk about the renewable on the electricity side, but you have also the clean fuel side,” Bocca said. “In the future, we still need fuels and the cleaner they are, the better.”

He pointed to India’s move to launch the Global Biofuel Alliance as an example of efforts on the clean fuels side, calling it part of a larger need to look at both “electrons” and “molecules” in energy transformation.

Private capital is entering nuclear

On nuclear power, Bocca said the sector is seeing a significant change in capital flows, with private investors now entering a space that was historically state-led.

“Today, there is private capital in the nuclear sector. In the past, it was mainly a state-led industry,” Bocca said, linking the growing investor interest to the need for “stable electrons” that can support AI systems.

He said it is still early to call it an inflection point, but added that multiple nuclear technologies are attracting investments and could help strengthen energy supply stability as demand rises.