Tanya Singhal, Renewable Energy & ClimateTech Expert, Founder, SolarArise & Mynzo Carbon
My Journey
In 2009, a few years into strategy consulting at the Boston Consulting Group, I attended a presentation that showed that a small box covering 7.5 percent of the desert on the map of India, once filled with solar panels was sufficient to power all of India! Awestruck by how powerful a force solar can be in solving our climate crisis, I followed my passion. I left my stable, flourishing consulting career and joined a solar engineering firm to understand how solar could work in India. Four years later in 2014, I started my entrepreneurial journey and SolarArise was born with a vision to make solar prices at par, or even lower, than conventional power and make solar a sustainable power solution.
My Achievements
Ten years later, after raising and deploying >2000 Rs Cr of capital to successfully build 7 solar plants totalling ~half a GW over ~1500 acres of land at sub-coal power prices, I could power >250,000 homes and reduce >600,000 tons of CO2 emissions/annum and today, our assets are listed as a part of a trust on the London Stock Exchange. Solar is now cheaper than fossil fuels, and it’s the talk of the town! Post the listing and my exit from SolarArise, continuing my passion for advancing carbon neutrality, I’m building Mynzo – MyNetZero – for climate consciousness through technology and AI, aiming to foster a low-carbon world and address the climate crisis.
Challenges as a Woman Leader & How I Overcame Them
I strongly believe it is a myth that infrastructure is a man’s world. Maybe historically, by the sheer numbers, it has been, but it’s no longer true. I have been to construction sites, worn hard hats, visited Chinese module factories, taken roles across the value chain and encouraged my female colleagues to do the same. I have been in board rooms full of men and yet never ever felt out of place! I have also been on the government ministry panels, many times as the only young woman. Achieving a successful exit with SolarArise listed on the LSE underlines the credibility of women as formidable leaders in infrastructure and sustainability. As a woman trailblazer in this domain, it’s not just about breaking barriers; it’s about paving the way for inclusivity and innovation. Over the course of more than a decade, I have persevered in this journey as a woman leader in the industry and feel proud to inspire other women to join the space and make a difference.
Future of Renewable Energy & Women’s Role
India is at the forefront of a renewable energy revolution, with ~ 217 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity, including over 100 GW from solar alone. The next phase of transformation will focus on storage solutions for round-the-clock 24-hour clean power, e-mobility, green hydrogen, and grid modernization to enable a stable, cost-effective transition away from fossil fuels. As India aims for 500 GW of renewable capacity by 2030, this transition will unlock massive economic opportunities—creating millions of green jobs and enabling energy independence.
Women have a critical role in this transition. Only 11 percent of India’s renewable energy workforce is female, compared to 32 percent globally. We need to close this gap by actively encouraging women to take up leadership roles across the energy value chain—engineering, finance, policy, and entrepreneurship. Having more women in decision-making roles isn’t just about diversity—it’s about performance. Studies show that companies with gender-diverse leadership are 27 percent more likely to create long-term value. I witnessed this firsthand while building SolarArise.
Advice to Young Women in Green Energy & E-Mobility
My one advice to young aspiring women is – be authentic, don’t be afraid to follow your passion. Dream big! Don’t put a gender bias to your dreams, or you would limit yourself. You must believe in your dream and be deliberate about it. It’s painful and tiring but you need to keep that vision going. The biggest challenge you face is the mindset – the mindset outside and the mindset within. The one within is more important to change.
Stay true to your passions and be willing to take calculated risks. Don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten path and pursue unconventional opportunities that align with your values and aspirations. At the same time, be open to learning from failures and setbacks, as they can often be the stepping stones to greater success.