Vikram Solar Pvt Limited, part of Kolkatta based Vikram group, has set up a 25 MW solar panel manufacturing unit at Falta SEZ inWest Bengal. The plant was inaugurated by The Hon’ble Chief minister Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, in presence of Shri Debesh Das, Hon’ble Minister of Information and Technology and Shri S P Gon Choudhuri Managing Director, West Bengal Green Energy Development Corporation Ltd.
The CM said, “As much as 95% of the state’s power requirements are met through thermal modes. Only about 5% is met through green modes including hydel, solar and wind. With pressure on environment rising and India promising to reduce pollution levels by 25%, West Bengal’s dependence on renewable power generation sources needs to rise. We have to convert to more non convention renewable energies following Center’s national solar mission.”
As per Mr. HK Chaudhary, Chairman, Vikram Group, an investment of Rs 100 crores ahs been made into the plant for a capacity fo 25 MW. Starting mid 2010, this will be further expanded to 50 MW at an additional investment of Rs 50 crores.
Vikram Solar has also set up a 1.05 MW Grid Interactive Solar Power plant in Kottenheim, Germany under its subsidiary Vikram Solar GmbH. The plant, which was set up at investment of Rs 18 crores is intended to be sold to investors in Germany. As per the chairman, “The government there has shown us land where we can set up additional generating capacities and sell them off to prospective investors there. Additionally we are in talks with few parties in France, Bulgaria and the US for setting up similar solar power plants.”
As part of further backward integration, the company plans to set up a photovoltaic cell and wafer manufacturing facility. The capital investment is estimated at Rs 500 crores for this.
Source: Vikram Solar / Solar India Online
