Telecommunications company Bharti Airtel has announced the acquisition of a 26% stake in a special purpose vehicle of Amp Energy, which will set up a 50 MW wind-solar hybrid power project in Rajasthan.

Airtel will procure power from AMP Energy Green Three’s hybrid power project in Barmer, Rajasthan in captive mode,

The project will connect to a 220 KV grid and provide green energy across India using interstate transmission networks.

Bharti Airtel’s acquisition involves an investment of ₹378.9 million (~$4.57 million) in cash, with shares priced at ₹10 (~$0.12) each. The completion of this acquisition is subject to certain approvals, including grid connectivity and open access, ensuring that Airtel meets the statutory requirements for captive power usage.

AMP Energy Green Three, incorporated in March 2020, is expected to commence operations by the second quarter of the financial year 2025-26.

This acquisition is a part of Bharti Airtel’s broader sustainability goals, particularly its ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The company has been actively investing in renewable energy projects and green technologies to reduce its carbon footprint.

Over the last two years, Airtel has made significant progress in increasing the share of renewable energy in its operations. Currently, more than 58% of Airtel’s network sites are powered by green energy sources. The company has solarized over 15,000 sites and implemented the ISO 14001 Environment Management System to optimize its energy usage and minimize environmental impact.

In the financial year 2023-24, Airtel consumed 223,930 MWh of renewable energy, marking a 170% increase from FY 2020-21.

The company also installed solar photovoltaic systems onsite to utilize empty spaces for renewable energy generation and consumption, resulting in renewable energy generation of 5,659 MWh.

In February 2024, Airtel’s Nxtra said it would procure 140,208 MWh of renewable energy every year for its data centers in Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh. The company had partnered with AmpIn and Amplus Energy to reduce over 100,389 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.

Nxtra now utilizes renewable energy for 41% of data center energy needs.