After completing his engineering, he was very clear that he wanted to work on energy and this is the reason for pursuing M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in energy engineering. He started his career as Technical Assistant in the Department of Energy Engineering at UIC, and as Research Assistant in the Department of Chemical Engineering during 1979 to 1984.
He started his career as Technical Assistant in the Department of Energy Engineering, and as Research Assistant in the Department of Chemical Engineering during 1979 to 1984.
Dr Mathur’s work experiences are:
Director General, ISA
Dr Mathur was elected as Director General, International Solar Alliance in February 2021, and he joined ISA in March 2021.
Under Dr Mathur’s leadership, the International Solar Alliance has started making significant achievements such as
- Organization of 4th and 5th Assembly meetings wherein ISA took a pledge to achieve $ 1 trillion global in solar investments by 2030.
- Launch of the One Sun One World One Grid at CoP 26 signing of UN pact at COP26 in Glasgow, Launch of journal Solar Compass, to be published by Elsevier at COP26,
- signing of Pact with UNFCCC at COP26 to Fight Climate Change,
- USA joining as 101st member of ISA
launch Solar Compass, with Ambassador
Stephane Crouzat at COP26
As a result of Dr Mathur’s efforts, ISA has started mobilizing resources from many donors. Under Dr Mathur’s leadership, ISA has started receiving resources from different donors for the purpose of providing reliable and affordable solar energy to all.
Director General, TERI
Dr Mathur joining TERI when it was facing major challenges after TERI’s founder Dr Pachauri’s stepped down as DG. As CEO of India’s pre-eminent think-tank and do-tank, he led the Institute as a world leader on energy transition to renewables, reduction in urban air pollution, and development of biotechnology for agricultural, energy and nutrition applications.
Dr Mathur focused on energy and environment and bringing up renewable energy titled “Renewable Energy and Sharing Costs”.
He has also continued to focus on bringing together the world’s leaders in thought and practice on sustainable development at the annual World Sustainable Development Summit.
Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India
Dr Mathur was appointed as BEE’s first full-time Director General in 2006 for a 3-year tenure, and reappointed for another 3-year tenure in 2009; and for a third 5-year tenure in 2013. Following Dr. Mathur’s appointment, the Bureau has introduced a large number of energy-efficiency programmes, including
- labeling of equipment and appliances,
- an Energy Conservation Building Code for new commercial buildings, and demand-side management programmes for industry, municipalities and building retrofits.
- Mandatory reduction of energy consumption in energy intensive industries
A process for the independent verification of energy savings related to the Bureau’s programmes was also established. The verified avoided generation capacity related to the programmes of the BEE during the five years from 2007-08 to 2014-15 has been about 26,000 MW.
The Bureau was also mandated to implement the National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency, with Dr. Mathur as the Mission Director. The Mission has designed an innovative “Perform, Achieve and Trade” mechanism that creates a market mechanism for the trading of certified energy savings in energy intensive industries, including thermal power stations. This mechanism became operational in March 2012, and has resulted in a 1% reduction in Indian energy consumption over a 3-year period. Two new financial mechanisms have also been created to enhance investment in energy-efficiency projects and companies. These are a Partial Risk Guarantee Fund, to provide guarantees to banks for energy-efficiency loans, and a Venture Capital Fund for Energy Efficiency, to provide last-mile equity to energy efficiency companies.
Dr. Mathur was also instrumental in the creation of the Excellence Enhancement Center for the Indian power sector, and of Energy Efficiency Services Limited, a public-sector company which could act as a market creator for energy-efficiency projects.
He has designed and overseen the implementation of a LED lighting transformation programme, which aims to change all streetlights in India to LED streetlights, and introduce LED bulbs in all households in a three-year period. These are being led by Energy Efficiency Services Limited, through public-private partnerships. A business model based on market aggregation and bulk procurement has reduced the procurement price of 7-W LED bulbs from Rs. 310 to Rs. 73 over a eighteen-month period. Nearly 100 million LED bulbs have already been sold through this programme.
Dr. Mathur was also a Member of the Prime Ministers Council on Climate Change, and was a member of the Indian Core Negotiating Team on Climate Change from 2007 to 2011, and spokesperson of the Indian Delegation to CoP-21 at Paris in 2015.
Director, Interim Secretariat, Green Climate Fund
The Green Climate Fund has been created by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as a multilateral financial organization to support the adoption of low carbon and climate resilient technologies in developing countries. The Interim Secretariat was established to initiate the Fund’s programmatic and administrative framework and enable the setting up of an independent Secretariat. As the Director of the Interim Secretariat, Dr. Mathur worked with the Fund’s Board and a skeleton staff to establish the programmatic principles of the Fund, including its Business Model Framework; the structure and rules of the independent Secretariat; the Agreement with the Government of Korea to host the independent Secretariat; and the selection of the Executive Director of the independent secretariat.
President, Suzlon Energy Limited, Delhi
Suzlon is India’s largest, and the world’s fourth-largest, wind energy equipment manufacturer. Dr. Mathur also created and was the CEO of SenergyGlobal, a new company within the Suzlon Group, which traded in carbon emission reductions (CERs) from energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The company facilitated the creation of CERs, and provided innovative risk mitigation instruments to bundle CERs in addition to trading and broking services for CERs. As CEO, Dr. Mathur provided business, management and vision leadership to the company. Amongst the projects supported by the company were renewable energy projects in the wind, biomass, small hydro and waste-to-energy sectors, and energy efficiency projects in the mining and cement sectors.
Team Leader, Climate Change, The World Bank, Washington
The Climate Change Team in the World Bank supported the integration of climate change concerns in Bank operations, as well as the development of human and institutional capacity to enable this integration in policies and practices in its client countries. As a consequence of the integration of carbon dioxide emissions mitigation activities into the Bank’s energy-sector lending practice, the Bank’s provided over $2 billion lending for energy efficiency and renewables during Dr. Mathur’s tenure in this position. This was accomplished by upgrading and strengthening of the skills of Bank staff area; documenting and disseminating best practice; and securing grant support (of over $750 million) from the GEF (Global Environment Facility) and donors to meet the incremental costs associated with the adoption of these technologies in developing countries. Dr. Mathur led the development of new risk mitigation instruments, such as performance-based incentives, partial risk guarantees to financial institutions, and cooperative industry partnerships, to institutionalize energy efficiency practices in developing countries and in countries with economies in transition. As Team Leader, Dr. Mathur coordinated the interaction of the Bank with the UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) and the GEF, and coordinated climate-change activities and approaches amongst multilateral and bilateral development agencies.
Dean (Energy-Environment Technology Division), TERI, Delhi
Dr. Mathur’s role as Dean of this Division was to provide a long range vision for the activities of this group of forty professionals, and enhance and streamline TERI industry linkages. A “product-cycle” concept was operationalized to focus all the activities in the Division towards the ultimate goal of developing and commercializing various devices and methodologies that promote sustainable development. Products which were commercialized included energy efficient glass-melting furnaces, coal-fired cupolas for foundries, and dryers for agricultural products. A human resource programme was put in place to continuously assess needs, and enhance the technical, commercial and communications skills of professionals. The job also required monitoring of ongoing projects; ensuring the quality and the timeliness of work; manpower and resource allocation and budgeting; and fund raising. The Division’s annual revenue from sponsored projects was about Rs. 100 million (US$ 2.5 million) which met its full costs.
Dr. Mathur led TERI’s initiative for the creation of a research university which culminated in the establishment of the TERI School of Advanced Studies (now called TERI University) in 1999, now recognized as a “deemed university” by the Indian University Grants Commission (UGC). This is the first independent research university in India.
Ozone Operations Coordinator (GEF Projects), The World Bank, Washington
The Global Environment Coordination Division of the World Bank coordinated the identification, preparation and financing of projects for ODS (Ozone Depleting Substances) phaseout. Dr. Mathur coordinated the Bank’s ODS phaseout activities in Countries with Economies in Transition : ODS phaseout projects were prepared in five countries (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Russia, Slovakia and Slovenia), and approved for grant funding by the GEF. Dr. Mathur contributed to the development of guidelines for ODS phase-out projects to meet the requirements of the Banks Operational Directive on Environmental Assessment and coordinated a supplemental initiative to phaseout ODS production in Russia. This initiative includes the establishment of an international Fund for financing the phaseout of ODS production facilities, and the development of a market plan involving joint venture partnerships for the production of ODS substitutes in Russia.
Vice President, TERI, Washington
The late eighties were marked by growing international environmental concerns, and a consequent appreciation of the linkages between energy and environmental issues in the North and the South. The Tata Energy and Resources Institute was incorporated as a non-profit organization in Washington, DC, in 1990 to facilitate the study and understanding of these linkages. As its first chief operating officer, Dr. Mathur initiated the Institute’s activities through joint seminars and workshops with US organizations; and developing linkages with, and carrying out studies for US based Foundations and bilateral and multilateral organizations. Dr. Mathur also established the Institute’s legal and accounting frameworks, and negotiated its financial pricing structure with funding agencies.