Dr. Rahul Walawalkar leads the Emerging Technologies & Markets practice for Customized Energy Solutions with focus on energy storage, renewables, demand response and smart grid technologies as well as international markets. His research and consulting activities have covered complete range of smart grid, demand response and energy storage technologies. Rahul was elected on the Board of Directors of Energy Storage Association 3 times for serving a 6 year term (2009-15). He is Executive Director for India Energy Storage Alliance and is Vice Chair for the Global Energy Storage Alliance . Rahul is involved in providing inputs for the smart grid, demand response and energy storage policy to various state and national agencies in US and India. Rahul as served as an expert on evaluation committees for US Department of Energy's Smart Grid and Energy Storage program since 2008. In 2012, Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) nominated him as chairperson of working group on Integrating Renewable Energy Sources (RES), Micro-Grids and Energy Storage as part of Smart Grid Coordination Committee. In June 2013, he was also nominated as member of national task force for integration of electricity from renewable Energy sources by Central Electricity Authority. In May 2014, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) appointed him as a member of standing committee on energy storage and hybrids.