Author: abhishek2019cs034abesit@gmail.com

Bluebird Solar, one of India’s leading solar PV module manufacturers, has secured a significant order from NTPC Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL) for the supply of 439.35 MW high-efficiency solar PV modules.

The order marks another major milestone in Bluebird Solar’s growth journey and further strengthens the company’s contribution to India’s rapidly expanding renewable energy sector. Under the contract, Bluebird Solar will supply its advanced M10R N-Type TOPCon Dual-Glass Bifacial Solar PV Modules for deployment at NTPC Renewable Energy Limited’s utility-scale solar project in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh. The modules are engineered to deliver superior efficiency, durability, and long-term performance.

The project reflects the continued confidence of India’s leading renewable energy developers in Bluebird Solar’s manufacturing capabilities, product quality, and execution excellence.

Speaking on this achievement, Mr. Rohit Tikku, CEO of Bluebird Solar, said, “Securing this prestigious order from NTPC Renewable Energy is a proud milestone for Bluebird Solar. It reflects the trust that leading developers place in our technology, manufacturing excellence, and commitment to quality. As India accelerates its clean energy transition, we remain focused on delivering world-class solar solutions that support the nation’s ambitious renewable energy goals.”

Mr. Akshay Mittal, Director, Bluebird Solar, added, “This order represents much more than a business milestone—it is a testament to Bluebird Solar’s continued focus on innovation, manufacturing excellence, and customer trust. We remain committed to expanding our capabilities, investing in advanced technologies, and supporting India’s vision of becoming a global clean energy leader. We sincerely thank NTPC Renewable Energy Limited for placing its confidence in Bluebird Solar.”

Bluebird Solar has consistently strengthened its manufacturing capabilities through investments in advanced technology, automation, and stringent quality control systems. The company operates a state-of-the-art 2.5 GW fully automated solar PV module manufacturing facility equipped with advanced production lines to deliver world-class quality and reliability. Its high-performance product portfolio is designed to maximize energy generation while ensuring long-term performance across diverse climatic conditions.

This order further demonstrates Bluebird Solar’s growing presence in the utility-scale solar segment and reinforces its commitment to supporting India’s vision of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity.

Looking ahead, Bluebird Solar is accelerating its expansion strategy with plans to establish 2.5 GW integrated manufacturing capacities for solar cells, wafers, ingots, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). This forward integration will strengthen the company’s domestic manufacturing ecosystem, enhance supply chain resilience, and support India’s vision of becoming a global manufacturing hub for clean energy technologies.

With a rapidly expanding manufacturing base, continuous investments in innovation, and a strong focus on quality, Bluebird Solar continues to serve utility-scale, commercial, industrial, and residential customers with reliable, high-efficiency solar solutions.

Airengy has signed an additional partnership agreement to explore and assess the potential and feasibility of long-duration compressed air energy storage in Nobian-operated salt cavern in Denmark with a capacity of 2.5 GWh (2,500 megawatt-hours) and an output of in the range of 3-10 megawatts.

The power plant is planned to be connected to an existing salt cavern in Denmark operated by Nobian, a European leader in high-purity salt, low-carbon essential chemicals and underground energy storage caverns. The collaboration will focus on evaluating Airengy’s AirBattery technology.

This is the fourth power-plant partnership across Europe announced by Airengy, following the plant in England (in partnership with KISTOS), Romania (in partnership with Hagag Europe), and Germany (in partnership with SEFE). The new agreement completes the company’s strategy of establishing operations throughout its key target markets.

Under the agreement, Nobian will be responsible for performing the works relating to the salt cavern, including regulatory and permitting processes, local communication, stakeholder management and the related infrastructure, and it will remain the license holder and the operator of the cavern. Airengy will be responsible for the AirBattery system design, air compression and electricity generation using the proprietary technology it developed. The project is aimed at developing an energy generation capacity potential of approximately 2.5 gigawatt-hours using Airengy’s compressed-air technology connected to an existing cavern.

The project is part of the implementation of the two-phase strategy published by Airengy in December: in the first phase, the company will form partnerships for the construction and design of power plants with an output of 1-1.5 megawatts in Romania and England, while in parallel advancing the establishment of large-scale power plants in Romania and now Denmark as well.

Louwrens op de Beek, Director Energy Storage at Nobian, said, “At Nobian, we see large-scale energy storage as a critical building block of a reliable and affordable renewable energy system. By exploring the combination of our salt cavern expertise with Airengy’s innovative technology, we aim to unlock new ways to store and release energy over longer periods, helping to reduce grid congestion. This collaboration fits perfectly with our Grow Greener Together strategy and our ambition to be a balancing partner in the energy system in Denmark.”

Maj. Gen. (res.) Yiftah Ron-Tal, Chairman of Airengy, stated, “The agreement with Nobian continues and advances our deployment into our European target markets and proves the company’s implementation capabilities. The collaboration connects Airengy’s energy-storage technology with existing geological infrastructure and industry know-how and demonstrates our ability to create partnerships with leading companies in strategic markets. We intend to continue forming additional partnerships that will accelerate the company’s growth and strengthen its standing in the global storage market.”

Tal Raz, CEO of Airengy, added, “The agreement with Nobian marks another milestone in Airengy’s development. Nobian is a European leader in salt mining and production, low-carbon essential chemicals and underground energy storage caverns development, with decades of experience, strategic assets and first-rate engineering capabilities. Nobian’s decision to collaborate with Airengy constitutes a strong expression of confidence in the technology we have developed and, in our ability to lead large-scale commercial projects. This partnership strengthens Airengy’s ability to advance additional commercial projects and to become a player in long-duration energy-storage infrastructure in Europe.

In parallel with the continued development of compressed-air-based energy-storage systems for the electricity grid, Airengy is exploring an expansion of its operations into the data-centers field, which is expected to be one of the most significant growth engines in demand for energy infrastructure over the coming decade. We believe that the CAPP technology we have developed, combined with strategic partnerships such as Nobian, can serve as a basis for advanced energy solutions for this market too.

We believe the coming decade will be defined by the construction of new energy infrastructure for electricity grids, industry, and data centers. Our goal is to position Airengy as one of Europe’s leading companies in long-duration energy solutions for these markets.”

British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, today announced the partial syndication of its mezzanine debt investment in Blueleaf Energy to the Emerging Africa & Asia Infrastructure Fund (EAAIF).

EAAIF is a Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) company managed by global investment firm Ninety One. Blueleaf Energy is a leading pan-Asian renewable energy platform and independent power producer owned by Macquarie Asset Management, targeting the development of a renewable energy portfolio of around 5GW in India by 2030.

The transaction will see EAAIF participating for 50 per cent of the $75 million facility to Blueleaf Energy, underwritten by BII. As a result, EAAIF will support Blueleaf Energy in developing 850MW of greenfield renewable energy capacity.

Mezzanine financing remains highly additional in India’s renewable energy sector. BII’s investment in Blueleaf Energy last year helped to demonstrate the viability of this financing approach while supporting the development of the platform’s pipeline. This partnership with EAAIF builds on that foundation by bringing in a like-minded global investor with an impact mandate, showing how BII’s capital can help attract private investment into sectors where financing gaps persist.

With more than two decades of experience mobilising commercial and institutional capital for infrastructure across emerging markets, EAAIF will support Blueleaf Energy’s next phase of growth. The investment aligns with EAAIF’s focus on financing climate-resilient infrastructure that accelerates decarbonisation while supporting sustainable economic development.

The transaction also marks an expansion of EAAIF’s climate infrastructure investments in Asia, and this is the Fund’s third financing in the renewable energy sector in India. Combined with BII’s sector expertise and local presence, it will support Blueleaf Energy’s continued expansion and help attract further private investment into climate infrastructure.

As India heightens its climate ambitions by targeting a 47 per cent reduction in emissions relative to its economic size by 2035, it continues to demonstrate that economic expansion and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.

Blueleaf Energy aims to make a meaningful contribution to the country’s energy transition through utility-scale solar, wind and energy storage projects that are expected to generate over 3.2GWh of renewable energy annually and avoid more than 3.1 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. This will help to increase the share of renewable energy in the overall energy mix in India.

UK Minister for Development Jenny Chapman said: “This deal shows that where British International Investment leads, other investors follow.  The partnership between BII and Ninety One is not only good for business, it’s good for the planet too, helping Blueleaf to support clean energy transitions through solar, wind and energy storage projects across India. This is a great example of the type of partnership the UK’s Emerging Markets and Developing Economies Investor Taskforce is bringing about, and we want to see even more as part of our modern approach to development.” 

Leslie Maasdorp, Chief Executive, BII, commented: “This transaction is a strong example of our originate-to-share approach under British Climate Partners, where we deploy our capital to unlock projects and then bring in institutional investors to scale them. By recycling our capital and partnering with impact investors like EAAIF, which is managed by Ninety One, we can accelerate the build-out of clean energy infrastructure while maximising our impact.”

Hendrik du Toit, founder and Chief Executive, Ninety One, the fund manager of EAAIF, said: “Mobilising capital at scale is essential to accelerating the energy transition in emerging markets. This transaction demonstrates how development finance institutions and private investors can work together to expand access to renewable energy infrastructure by bringing additional capital to projects with strong long-term fundamentals. It also marks an important step in growing EAAIF’s climate infrastructure investments in Asia, while supporting India’s ambitions to build a more resilient, low-carbon economy.”

Philippe Valahu, Chief Executive, Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), added: “We are pleased to partner with BII again on a transaction to unlock more capital for climate infrastructure where it is needed most. By bringing EAAIF into Blueleaf Energy’s growth journey, we can support renewable energy deployment at greater scale, while helping to deepen the pool of capital available for India’s clean energy transition. India will be central to global progress on climate action, and this investment reflects PIDG’s commitment to backing scalable solutions for meaningful impact.”

BII will retain a 50 per cent ($37.5 million) stake and continue to support Blueleaf’s growth, with the intention to mobilise further private capital over time.

KEC International Ltd., a global infrastructure EPC company and an RPG Group enterprise, has announced the receipt of new orders worth Rs. 1,180 crore across its Transmission & Distribution (T&D), Renewables, Civil, and Cables & Conductors businesses, further strengthening its order book and reinforcing its presence in key infrastructure segments.

In the Transmission & Distribution (T&D) business, the company secured multiple orders spanning India, the Middle East, and the Americas. These include a 400 kV transmission line project in Western India to facilitate power evacuation for a data centre, the supply of transmission line towers in the Middle East, and the supply of towers, hardware, and poles for projects in the Americas.

The Renewables business secured a significant order for a 200+ MW Solar PV project in Western India from an existing client, a leading private renewable energy developer. The project further strengthens KEC International’s growing portfolio in the renewable energy sector and reflects continued trust from its long-standing customers.

In the Civil segment, KEC has received an order for additional civil and structural works for a 150 MW thermal power plant being developed by a prominent private sector player in Eastern India.

The company’s Cables & Conductors business also added to the order pipeline by securing multiple orders across domestic and international markets, supporting its diversified business growth strategy.

Commenting on the achievement, Vimal Kejriwal, Managing Director and CEO of KEC International Ltd., said the company is pleased with the strong order inflow across multiple business verticals. He noted that the transmission line project for a data centre marks the company’s first such order in this rapidly expanding segment, highlighting KEC’s growing role in supporting critical power infrastructure for digital economy projects.

He further stated that the company has strengthened its tower supply business through a major order from the Middle East, while the large-scale solar project demonstrates the continued confidence of existing customers in KEC’s renewable energy capabilities.

With these latest wins, KEC International’s year-to-date (YTD) order intake has crossed Rs. 5,200 crore, reflecting sustained business momentum and positioning the company for continued growth across domestic and international infrastructure markets.

Bijliride, India’s leading EV rental and mobility-tech platform, announced a major operational expansion with the deployment of 5,000 new electric two-wheelers to meet growing corporate and retail demand.

Building upon its existing footprint in Hyderabad, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Pune, this strategic rollout leverages surging market demand and aggressive franchise onboarding to offer corporate clients, quick-commerce giants, and hyperlocal delivery brands an immediately deployable, legally compliant fleet. For these enterprise partners, the increased vehicle density addresses critical logistics bottlenecks, ensuring faster last-mile fulfillment, zero operational overhead, and maximum fleet uptime through Bijliride’s 24/7 localized support network.

Concurrently, for gig workers and delivery partners, this expansion directly addresses the rising financial strain of daily fuel and vehicle maintenance costs. By utilizing Bijliride’s direct, zero-commission structure, delivery riders are able to retain exactly 100% of their earnings while minimizing operational downtime via rapid battery swapping services.

“This expansion is about building dependable utility rather than simply chasing fleet numbers,” said Shivam Sisodiya, Founder & CEO, Bijliride. “We are focusing heavily on markets like Hyderabad, our operational headquarters, and other major metros where the structural demand for sustainable, cost-effective mobility is highest. Increasing vehicle density allows us to drastically reduce wait times for customers, empower the delivery workforce to slash operating costs, and offer B2B enterprise clients a fast, tech-backed framework that eliminates fulfillment friction.”

To support the rapid influx of new vehicles on the road, Bijliride is driving this growth through a highly scalable, asset-light franchise model, partnering with local micro-entrepreneurs to run regional mobility hubs. The company is simultaneously scaling its comprehensive backend infrastructure across all target cities, including physical pickup hubs, dedicated charging networks, and real-time on-road maintenance support to ensure seamless fleet uptime.

In a first-of-its-kind achievement for the infrastructure and energy sectors, all three Sterlite Group companies have secured positions in the Top 50 of India’s Best Workplaces™ 2026.

Serentica Renewables, a leading renewable energy provider in India; Resonia Ltd., a leading power transmission infrastructure company, and Sterlite Electric, a leading manufacturer of capital goods and system integration solutions, have officially earned this recognition from Great Place To Work®. Serentica Renewables has been ranked 9th, Sterlite Electric has been ranked 22nd, and Resonia has been ranked 46^th, achieving a 100% success rate for the Group, marking a rare corporate achievement in the country. This collective milestone that underscores the Group’s sustained commitment to building high-trust, people-centric workplaces across diverse and complex operating environments.

Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviours that deliver market-leading outcomes. Rankings are determined through a rigorous assessment of employee trust, pride and camaraderie, along with an evaluation of organisational culture and people practices.

Commenting on the milestone, Pratik Agarwal, Chairman of Resonia and Serentica, and Managing Director of Sterlite Electric Limited, said: “Having all three of our companies make it into the Top 50 at the same time is a massive milestone for the Group. We operate in sectors that are technically complex and capital-intensive, where building a strong, consistent culture across the board is incredibly tough. This proves that we haven’t just grown our business; we’ve built workplaces where our people genuinely trust the vision and each other. This group-wide recognition establishes us as an employer of choice and shows we have the right cultural foundation to drive India’s energy transition forward.”

Acknowledging the achievement, Ruhie Pande, Group CHRO & CMO, Serentica Renewables, Resonia and Sterlite Electric, said: “At Sterlite Group, our people are at the heart of everything we do. Securing Top 50 rankings for all three of our businesses is an unprecedented milestone for the Group. It reflects the culture we have consciously built—one rooted in trust, purpose, collaboration and continuous learning. These recognitions belong to every employee who brings our values to life every day, whether they are developing renewable energy projects, strengthening transmission infrastructure or manufacturing critical power solutions. As we continue to grow, we remain committed to creating workplaces where people can thrive, innovate and contribute meaningfully to India’s energy transition.”

Across the Group, people practices are centered on leadership development, capability building, employee well-being, diversity and inclusion, continuous learning, and operational excellence. This joint recognition reinforces the Group’s commitment to building future-ready organizations that attract, retain, and develop top talent while supporting India’s evolving energy ecosystem.

The recent judgments by the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) reinforce the importance of a transparent, consistent, and well-reasoned regulatory framework for India’s power sector. As the country accelerates its clean energy transition, robust judicial institutions such as APTEL continue to play a critical role in ensuring regulatory certainty, resolving complex sectoral issues, and creating an environment that encourages long-term investment.

With India’s power sector becoming increasingly dynamic and complex, the need for balanced adjudication across legal, technical, commercial and regulatory matters has become more significant than ever. Judgments that bring clarity on critical issues relating to transmission, renewable energy and regulatory processes strengthen stakeholder confidence, reduce uncertainty and support the sector’s sustainable growth.

Welcoming the recent judgments, Mr. Lalit Kumar Jain, President, Hindustan Power, said, “A strong and credible dispute resolution framework is essential for the sustained growth of India’s power sector. Institutions like APTEL play a pivotal role in reinforcing regulatory certainty, fostering investor confidence and ensuring that the sector continues to evolve on a foundation of transparency, consistency and sound legal principles. Such institutional strength will remain a key enabler of India’s clean energy ambitions and long-term energy security.”

As India pursues its vision of becoming a global clean energy leader, regulatory stability will remain a cornerstone for attracting capital, accelerating infrastructure development and enabling innovation across the power value chain. The APTEL judgment serves as a timely reaffirmation that a predictable and transparent regulatory ecosystem, backed by strong institutions, is indispensable for building a resilient, competitive and future-ready power sector.

BluPine Energy has entered into long-term Open Access Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with Craftsman Automation Limited and Sunbeam Lightweighting Solutions Private Limited to supply renewable electricity from its 21 MWp solar power project in Rajasthan. The agreements mark another milestone in BluPine Energy’s efforts to expand clean energy access for India’s commercial and industrial (C&I) sector.

The solar power will be supplied through the open access mechanism, enabling both manufacturing companies to meet a significant portion of their electricity demand with renewable energy while reducing dependence on conventional power sources. The initiative is expected to support their sustainability commitments by lowering carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency.

The project is located in Rajasthan, one of India’s leading renewable energy hubs, and is designed to deliver reliable, cost-effective green power to the two industrial customers. By leveraging open access, the companies will also benefit from long-term energy cost stability while contributing to India’s clean energy transition.

The partnership highlights the growing adoption of renewable energy among industrial manufacturers seeking to decarbonize their operations without compromising operational reliability. Open access solar projects continue to gain momentum across the country as businesses increasingly prioritize sustainability and energy security.

Commenting on the development, BluPine Energy stated that the agreements reinforce its commitment to accelerating renewable energy adoption across the commercial and industrial segment. The company aims to provide customized clean energy solutions that help businesses achieve their environmental goals while supporting India’s broader net-zero ambitions.

As demand for green power continues to rise, collaborations such as these are expected to play a crucial role in expanding renewable energy deployment and strengthening the country’s transition toward a low-carbon economy.

AmpereHour Energy, a full-stack Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) solutions provider, has announced the inauguration of its new BESS Manufacturing and Integration Facility in Chakan, Pune. The facility will focus on the integration of Make in India cabinet and containerised Battery DC-AC Blocks for utility-scale and commercial and industrial applications.

The platform combines AmpereHour’s expertise in hardware-agnostic architecture, proprietary Energy Management Systems (EMS), subsystem engineering and advanced safety design with AH-Suite: AmpereHour’s digital factory quality management and product testing platform (AH Factory Suite), enabling complete traceability, performance validation and a faster transition from factory to field.

AmpereHour’s transition into manufacturing has been driven by customer needs and real-world project learnings around system performance, safety, reliability and lifecycle management.

Commenting on the launch Rahul Shelke, Co-Founder and Managing Director, AmpereHour Energy, said, “Energy storage is becoming the backbone of the future grid, and India has an opportunity to lead not just in scale, but through technology-led innovation. Our expansion into advanced BESS manufacturing is built on years of experience as system integrators understanding what makes storage assets safer, smarter and more reliable in real operating environments. With our Make in India DC Block platform and digital infrastructure like AH-Suite, we are building more than products; we are building long-term energy resilience.”

The facility marks AmpereHour’s evolution from a BESS technology integrator to an advanced manufacturing platform focused on building intelligent, digitally validated energy storage systems for India and global markets. With a planned capacity of 5 GWh, it represents a strategic investment towards strengthening India’s energy storage ecosystem through localised integration, deeper engineering capabilities and digital innovation.

Powered by AmpereHour’s proprietary ELINA Energy Management System, these deployments have strengthened its expertise in renewable integration, peak management, grid flexibility and long-term asset performance.

Ayush Misra, Co-Founder and CEO, AmpereHour Energy, said, “For us, manufacturing was a natural progression of our journey as a BESS technology integrator. Energy storage is not just about assembling batteries; it is about engineering intelligent assets that deliver reliable performance throughout their lifecycle. AH-Suite brings our field learnings into manufacturing by ensuring every system is digitally validated before it reaches the site.”

These learnings now form the foundation of AmpereHour’s manufacturing approach – integrating engineering intelligence, software and digital validation directly into its BESS platforms.

Aditya Birla Renewables Limited (ABRen), a subsidiary of Grasim Industries Ltd., announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire 100% equity shares and securities of Solenergi Power Private Limited, which owns the Sprng Energy group of companies, from Shell Overseas Investment B.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell PLC (“Seller”).

This transaction is amongst the largest acquisitions in India’s renewable energy sector both by value and scale. The transaction values the business at an enterprise value of INR 17,200 Crores (~US$1.8 billion). The equity consideration payable to the seller will be determined after adjusting for debt, cash, and other items as specified in the transaction documents. The acquisition is proposed to be funded through a mix of debt and equity infusion from Grasim and funds managed by Global Infrastructure Partners (a part of BlackRock). This transaction adds a contracted portfolio of ~5 GWp capacity (~3.3 GWp of operational capacity and ~1.7 GWp of under-construction capacity) along with a strong connectivity and development pipeline.

The acquisition significantly accelerates ABRen’s renewable energy growth ambitions by combining its strong presence in the Commercial & Industrial (“C&I”) segment with Sprng Energy’s complementary utility-scale platform.

Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, said, “Over a long arc of time, the Aditya Birla Group has built businesses at global scale that have contributed to India’s long-term growth, be it in building materials, metals, financial services, or retail. We view India’s energy transition through the same lens. At its core, this is about strengthening our nation’s energy future, enhancing industrial competitiveness, and creating the foundations for sustained economic growth.”

He added, “This acquisition brings together two highly complementary platforms and marks an important milestone in ABRen’s evolution. Together, we will have a diversified portfolio and a deep development pipeline that puts us on course to scale to 20 GWp+ in the coming years. More importantly, it positions us to participate meaningfully in one of the largest energy transformations underway anywhere in the world.”

Mr. Aryaman Vikram Birla, Director, Aditya Birla Group and Aditya Birla Renewables, said, “This acquisition is a pivotal moment in ABRen’s evolution, rapidly accelerating our ambition to build a top-tier renewable energy platform at national scale. By integrating Sprng Energy’s high-quality utilities portfolio with our C&I capabilities, we are significantly enhancing both the strength and resilience of our combined platform. Additionally, Sprng Energy brings a high-quality asset base, creditworthy off-takers and strong contracted cashflows.”

He added, “Having almost achieved our ~10 GWp target ahead of time, we are now on track to double capacity in the next few years. This step-up reflects not just scale, but a sharper focus on quality, execution, and long-term value creation.”

Mr. Jayant Dua, Business Head, Aditya Birla Renewables Limited, said, “This combination brings together two strong renewable energy platforms with complementary capabilities, geographical presence, customer relationships, and a talented pool of professionals across key functional areas. By leveraging our collective expertise across project development, engineering, procurement, construction, and asset management, we believe we can unlock meaningful operational synergies, significantly deepen our organizational capabilities, and accelerate project execution. Our priority will be to ensure business continuity, deliver reliable clean power to customers, and continue building a best-in-class renewable energy platform.”

The transaction is expected to be completed before the end of the calendar year 2026, subject to the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary conditions under the transaction documents.