Sustainability LIVE Dubai: HCLTech Associate VP Fireside
In a focused fireside chat at Sustainability LIVE Dubai, Subir Dhar, Associate Vice President at HCLTech, unpacked the convergence of AI, IoT and cloud in driving sustainability.
Subir offered a clear-eyed perspective on how these technologies collectively support the shift to clean tech solutions across sectors – from agriculture to energy, manufacturing and beyond.
Defining clean tech in a connected world
Kicking off the conversation, Subir offered his definition of the clean tech revolution.
For him, clean tech means "taking emerging technologies and applying them in such a manner that you can improve upon or mitigate the impact of climate change."
He explained how these innovations are transforming multiple sectors simultaneously, pointing to their critical role in agriculture, energy and manufacturing.
Subir also highlighted HCLTech’s leadership in sustainability, noting, “We have imbibed [sustainability] in our entire processes,” and referenced the company’s strong performance across various analyst rankings.
Their service offering spans lifecycle assessments, product sustainability, sustainable packaging and clean product development.
IoT and cloud: Foundational to AI-driven progress
While much of the sustainability conversation is dominated by artificial intelligence, Subir pointed to the importance of IoT as a foundational layer.
With a decade of experience in the field, he described IoT as a key enabler: “IoT plays a very stellar role in making AI happen. A lot of sensors are there in the field, they gather the data and bring the data to the cloud and then on to AI.”
The cloud, in turn, supports scalability, collaboration and cost-effectiveness.
Subir broke down its core benefits: “One is scalability. The second is collaboration across vast organisations and institutions… and finally, it’s about economics.”
He described how the cloud has drastically reduced the initial investment needed for clean tech initiatives, making innovation more accessible.
“If every startup were to make investments in their servers, we wouldn’t have so many initiatives going around the world,” he said.
This interdependence of AI, IoT and cloud creates an ecosystem where technologies are no longer isolated, but instead work in tandem to support robust, responsive and scalable clean tech solutions.
From data to deployment
Despite the promise of digital tools, Subir was frank about the challenges of adoption and integration.
“Technology supply is ahead of demand,” he explained, citing a gap in understanding and appreciation of these solutions among user industries.
As a result, many proof-of-concept projects stall before scaling. “That is a scaling issue,” he noted.
He also pointed to policy, investment and the need for guardrails as additional barriers to widespread deployment. But above all, he returned to the central importance of data: “Data is the backbone and foundation of AI.”
Drawing on real-world examples, Subir illustrated how data has enabled rapid progress in areas like modular nuclear reactor design, battery material innovation, and renewable energy forecasting.
“Lithium was known to be a good battery material in 1900. It took 90 years to become mainstream,” he said.
With AI and abundant data, that innovation cycle is now compressed dramatically.
In sectors like renewables, where accurate forecasting is critical, data becomes a vital strategic asset.
“We have to forecast sunshine and that particular data can be processed to come up with better forecasting,” he explained. Whether in agriculture, life sciences, or energy, access to quality data is accelerating clean tech innovation across the board.
Collaboration and investment for scale
To conclude the session, Subir returned to the theme of acceleration – what’s needed to speed up clean tech transformation. Collaboration was at the top of his list.
“Government, industry, academia and technology firms have to make a good start somewhere,” he urged.
He also highlighted the need for better connectivity between industrial labs working in areas like battery development, nuclear reactors and wind turbines.
“There is not a very seamless interaction between labs,” he said, calling for more integrated research networks.
On investment, Subir acknowledged growing momentum but suggested more is still required.
“Now is the time investment is getting attention about AI deployment in various sectors,” he said.
Subir’s session painted a compelling picture of a future where AI, IoT and cloud don't just complement one another – they depend on each other to deliver meaningful, scalable impact.
His insights offered a clear roadmap for organisations aiming to lead the clean tech revolution in a data-driven world.
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