Akshay Makar, founder of Climatenza Solar, is working on a part of the clean energy transition that often stays out of focus: industrial heat. At 29, Akshay Makar leads a company that helps factories replace fossil fuels with solar thermal energy. While renewable power has expanded in electricity generation, most industries still burn coal, gas, or oil for heat. Climatenza Solar aims to change that balance.

Akshay Makar’s work centres on a simple reality. Nearly 75 percent of industrial energy demand comes from fossil fuels. Power from solar panels cannot meet many industrial needs that require steam and high temperatures. Without cleaner heat, net-zero targets remain incomplete.

The industrial heat problem

Global renewable growth has been strong over the last decade. Solar and wind power have added large amounts of capacity. This growth, however, mainly supports electricity grids.

Factories operate differently. Sectors such as textiles, food processing, dairy, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals need steady heat and steam. These processes run for long hours and cannot rely only on electric heating.

Akshay Makar saw this gap early. He understood that industries would not shift away from fossil fuels unless renewable heat became practical, affordable, and reliable.

Founding Climatenza Solar

Akshay Makar founded Climatenza Solar in 2018. Based in Delhi, the company designs and engineers concentrated solar thermal systems for industrial use.

The system works through thermal concentrators. These reflect sunlight onto a receiver. Fluids inside the receiver heat up and turn into steam. This steam feeds directly into industrial processes or gets stored for later use. In some cases, it also supports electricity generation.

The goal is not to replace the grid. The goal is to reduce the use of coal and gas boilers inside factories.

Why solar thermal suits factories

Climatenza Solar focuses on three issues that matter most to industrial users.

The first is space. Many factories have limited open land. Akshay Makar says competing systems often need close to 100 square metres for installation. Climatenza Solar’s design uses about 5.5 square metres for similar output.

The second issue is cost. Climatenza Solar builds its supply chain in India. This reduces import dependence and lowers pricing. According to Makar, this makes the system 35 to 40 percent cheaper than some alternatives.

The third factor is efficiency. Industrial clients need stable heat, not fluctuating output. Solar thermal systems provide steady steam during operating hours, which fits factory schedules.

Scale of operations today

Climatenza Solar has a project pipeline of 23 megawatts. Around 80 percent of this capacity is in India. The remaining 20 percent is in Bangladesh.

The company plans to scale to 273 megawatts over the next five years. At this level, it estimates a reduction of about 2.87 million tonnes of carbon emissions.

Akshay Makar says this scale is realistic because industrial heat demand remains constant across seasons and markets.

Focus sectors and market size

Within India, Climatenza Solar works mainly with textiles, food and beverages, dairy, chemicals, and pharma companies. These sectors together consume around 1.15 billion tonnes of fossil fuels each year.

With an average fuel cost of roughly $35 per tonne, the total market size stands near $40 billion. Even partial replacement through solar thermal could bring major savings and emission cuts.

Many export-driven companies also face pressure from global buyers to reduce carbon footprints. This adds urgency to cleaner heat solutions.

Partnerships with large companies

Climatenza Solar works with several major firms. These include Coca-Cola, Rallis India, Tata Chemicals, Unilever, and others.

The company recently signed a deal with Coca-Cola to deploy solar thermal systems at four plants in India. The first installation begins in Andhra Pradesh.

At Rallis India, Climatenza Solar is setting up a pilot-scale solar thermal plant. The project aims to cut emissions while ensuring steady energy supply for operations.

Industry executives say pilot projects help teams understand performance before large investments.

Manufacturing plans in India

Climatenza Solar plans to invest $8.4 million to build India’s first advanced solar thermal production line for mass manufacturing. The facility will support faster deployment and lower costs.

Akshay Makar believes domestic manufacturing is essential. Imported systems raise prices and slow down project execution. Local production improves control and reliability.

At full scale, the company expects long-term revenues to cross $38 million, depending on deployment pace and energy prices.

Barriers to adoption

Despite growing interest, adoption still faces challenges. Many factories remain comfortable with fossil fuel boilers. Switching systems involves capital cost and operational changes.

Akshay Makar says education remains key. Factory owners want proof of uptime, savings, and safety. Demonstration projects help build trust.

Policy support also matters. Incentives, renewable heat targets, and carbon pricing can speed adoption.

Role in net-zero targets

Many global companies have committed to net-zero goals over the next two decades. Industrial heat remains one of the hardest emissions to cut.

Climatenza Solar positions itself as a solution provider for this gap. The company does not claim to solve all energy needs. It focuses on replacing fossil fuels where solar thermal works best.

As pressure grows on supply chains to cut emissions, renewable heat solutions may move from optional to necessary.

Looking ahead

At 29, Akshay Makar continues to focus on steady growth. His priorities remain cost control, performance, and scale.

If solar thermal gains wider acceptance, it could change how Indian factories use energy. For now, Climatenza Solar stands among the few companies focused on industrial heat rather than power alone.

FAQs

Q1. Who is Akshay Makar?
Akshay Makar is an Indian clean energy entrepreneur and the founder of Climatenza Solar.

Q2. What does Climatenza Solar do?
Climatenza Solar provides solar thermal energy systems that generate steam and heat for industrial processes.

Q3. What is Akshay Makar’s age?
Akshay Makar is 29 years old.

Q4. Which companies use Climatenza Solar’s technology?
Climatenza Solar works with companies such as Coca-Cola, Rallis India, Tata Chemicals, and Unilever.