India has big plans when it comes to renewable energy. The government has set itself ambitious targets, including commissioning 175 gigawatts of renewable energy by the year 2022.

As its transition to renewables gathers pace, efforts are underway to make sure Delhi exploits its new energy reality.

At the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) in Shibpur, bright minds are developing technology to ensure that the transition to renewables runs smoothly.

Researchers there have developed a combined micro-grid for biogas, solar and wind.

"The original idea of micro-grids is to provide you with 24/7 access to electricity, so you must have a combination of sources, (an) integration of different sources, and dependable sources to get energy on demand," Hiranmay Saha, coordinator of the Green Energy Center at the IIEST, told CNBC.

Biomass is crucial to their plans. "Now, solar and wind is not under your control — it is not energy on demand — but biomass, that is under your control," he said. "So if we combine the solar and wind, that will give you a 24/7 access to electricity… (for) the local people."

The team at IIEST is also working on the development of a battery that uses liquids and membranes. "This is the first time we have introduced such a battery and we are… interfacing the battery with the grid and studying its properties," Saha said.