In March 2024, the Science Museum in London opened “Energy Revolution: The Adani Green Energy Gallery,” a permanent exhibition about the global shift to renewable energy. Sponsored by Adani Green Energy, the gallery showcases developments in sustainable technologies and emphasises the company’s commitment to green initiatives.
But a recent development has tarnished this link. On November 20, 2024, U.S. federal prosecutors charged Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, and seven executives with orchestrating a $265 million bribery scheme to win favourable contracts for solar energy projects in India. According to the indictment, these bribes were hidden from U.S. investors, raising questions about the conglomerate’s corporate governance and ethical practices. Reuters
The fallout over these allegations has been swift and severe. The value of Adani Group stocks fell twenty per cent, wiping out billions of dollars in market value. And in another international fallout from the scandal, Kenya scrapped a major airport project with the conglomerate. Associated Press
These events starkly contrast the message of sustainability and innovation delivered within the Science Museum’s gallery. Even as the exhibition tries to inspire a greener future, the allegations about its sponsor cast doubt on the integrity of corporate pledges to act as a steward of the environment.
During the ongoing legal process, the gaze of stakeholders and the public will be upon the Adani group, observing whether its actions or lack thereof will align with the principles on display in the “Energy Revolution” gallery. This serves as a stark reminder that not only the technical progress of renewables is nothing without a moral compass and transparency from the leaders in the industry.
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