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Ambani Signals Reliance's Pivot from Jio to Green Energy

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  Published in Science and Technology on Sunday, December 21st 2025 at 11:28 GMT by moneycontrol.com
      Locale: INDIA

Mukesh Ambani Signals Reliance’s Pivot from Jio’s Telecom Empire to a Green‑Energy Future

In a recent address at a high‑profile industry gathering, Reliance Industries’ chairman, Mukesh Ambani, declared that the conglomerate stands “at the threshold of a deep tech shift—from Jio to green energy.” The statement, which came after an extensive review of the company’s latest initiatives, points to a strategic realignment that will place digital communications and renewable power at the centre of Reliance’s growth agenda. While the announcement is steeped in optimism, the underlying details reveal a carefully plotted pathway that could reshape India’s technology and energy landscape.

1. Jio: The Digital Engine That Launched Reliance’s New Era

Mukesh Ambani began by recalling how the launch of Jio in 2016 revolutionised India’s telecom sector. The company disrupted the market with a combination of aggressively priced data, an ecosystem of services (JioPay, JioMeet, JioMart, JioBank), and a vision that placed data as a national utility. Jio’s growth was so rapid that it became the world’s largest 5G network in terms of subscriber count within a year.

Ambani underscored that Jio is not just a telecom network but a “platform” that powers billions of services—from e‑commerce and online education to the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence. He highlighted the data‑center infrastructure the company has built, noting that it is the most energy‑efficient in the world. This efficiency, he argued, lays the groundwork for the company’s next leap.

2. From Data to Decarbonisation: The Green‑Energy Roadmap

The crux of Ambani’s address was a detailed outline of Reliance’s ambition to become a global leader in green energy. The company intends to harness the same deep‑tech capabilities that powered Jio—data analytics, artificial intelligence, and advanced engineering—to accelerate the transition to a low‑carbon economy.

a. Solar & Wind: Expanding the Clean‑Power Footprint

Reliance has already committed to installing a combined 10 GW of solar and wind capacity across India. The plan includes a 5 GW solar farm in Gujarat and a 5 GW wind portfolio in Rajasthan. These projects, funded through a mix of internal capital and green bonds, aim to provide 10% of India’s renewable electricity demand by 2030.

b. Green Hydrogen: The New Frontier

Perhaps the most ambitious aspect of the shift is the 10‑GW green hydrogen project that Reliance is developing in partnership with the Indian government. The plant, slated to be operational by 2025, will use electrolysis powered entirely by renewable energy to produce hydrogen with zero carbon emissions. Ambani claimed that, “Once this becomes operational, we will be the world’s largest producer of green hydrogen,” a claim that would place Reliance at the heart of the global hydrogen economy.

The hydrogen plant will be integrated with a data‑center‑powered cooling system, ensuring that the energy required for production is sourced from the company’s own renewable portfolio. In a nod to the broader ecosystem, Ambani said the company will also explore the use of hydrogen in electric‑vehicle (EV) charging stations, effectively creating a closed loop from power generation to transport.

c. Data‑Centres & Edge Computing

Reliance’s next‑generation data centres—built in partnership with leading cloud‑service providers—are set to be powered by 100% renewable electricity by 2026. The company will also develop “edge‑nodes” across India that will provide low‑latency connectivity for emerging technologies such as autonomous vehicles, remote healthcare, and real‑time analytics for manufacturing.

3. Partnerships and Policy Support

The green‑energy agenda is supported by multiple layers of collaboration:

• Government – Reliance has secured a $10 billion green‑bond issuance in partnership with the Indian government to fund renewable projects. The bonds, which carry a 5‑year maturity, have already attracted interest from institutional investors looking for ESG‑aligned exposure.

• International Firms – The hydrogen project is co‑developed with German engineering firms (like Siemens Energy) and American battery manufacturers (such as Tesla’s battery division). These partnerships bring advanced electrolysis technology and advanced storage solutions, respectively.

• Academic Institutions – Reliance has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay to create a research hub focused on green‑energy technologies, including advanced materials for electrolysis membranes and battery technologies for EVs.

4. Economic and Social Impact

Ambani emphasized the socio‑economic dividends of the shift:

• Employment – He projected that the green‑energy initiatives would create over 100,000 jobs in the next decade, spanning from research and development to construction and operations.

• Energy Security – By reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, the company aims to enhance India’s energy security. Ambani said that the combination of solar, wind, and hydrogen will help “buffer the grid against price volatility.”

• Carbon Footprint – Reliance’s target is to reduce its own operational CO₂ emissions by 70% by 2030 and to offset the emissions of its customers through renewable energy credits.

5. Key Take‑aways for Investors and Analysts

6. Further Reading

• Reliance’s Green‑Bond Issuance – The official press release outlining the terms and allocation of the bonds.
• Solar Project in Gujarat – Detailed case study on the 5‑GW solar farm, including financial models and expected output.
• Green Hydrogen Project – Investor briefing from the joint venture with Siemens Energy and the U.S. battery partner.
• Reliance’s Data‑Center Efficiency – Analysis by Bloomberg that compares Reliance’s data‑center power usage effectiveness (PUE) to global benchmarks.

7. Bottom Line

Mukesh Ambani’s message is clear: Jio’s success as a digital platform is merely the beginning. Reliance Industries intends to harness its deep‑tech prowess to become a frontrunner in the global green‑energy revolution. With bold commitments in solar, wind, and hydrogen, backed by strong policy support and strategic partnerships, the conglomerate is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping a more sustainable future for India—and possibly the world.

In a sector where technology and sustainability intersect, Reliance’s multi‑layered strategy underscores a vision that goes beyond profits to include social responsibility, energy independence, and climate leadership. Whether the company can deliver on these ambitious promises remains to be seen, but the roadmap laid out by Ambani is a compelling narrative that will be closely watched by investors, policy makers, and competitors alike.