A soft drink bottler and a cement maker may have little in common, just as a lifestyle brand and a railway wagon manufacturer do. Yet all four share a strong commitment to energy sustainability.

These four companies operating in diverse sectors – Amrit Bottlers, Birla Corporation, Jupiter Wagons, and Raghav Lifestyle – have all turned to solar energy to lower their power bills and make their operations environmentally friendly.

Kolkata-based VSL RE Power assisted them in their quest to switch to clean energy by installing solar systems of varying capacities tailored to their unique needs.

Savings and Sustainability

Amrit Bottlers, a Coca-Cola-affiliated bottling and manufacturing franchise, installed an 11.25 MW solar project at its facility in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, spread across 25 acres.

The project caters to the company’s energy-intensive bottling and manufacturing operations.

With this installation, Amrit aims to reduce its energy costs and dependence on conventional power sources. It stated that sustainable operations using solar energy also align with its long-term environmental, social, and governance goals.

Birla Jute and Birla Cement, brands under the MP Birla Corporation, installed a 2.1 MW solar project (metal shed solar project) in Birlapur, West Bengal, and a 5 MW project (on-site, ground-mounted) in Mukutban, Maharashtra, respectively.

The installations will power cement grinding units and auxiliary processes at the cement plant and the jute mill.

Birla Corporation opted for solar energy at its facilities as part of its sustainability initiative, reducing its reliance on coal-based electricity. Savings on power costs were a bonus.

Jupiter Wagons, a manufacturer of railway freight wagons, passenger coaches, wagon components, cast manganese steel crossings, and castings, installed an 800 kW solar project at its facility in Aurangabad, Maharashtra, for a similar reason. The solar installation supports its energy-intensive fabrication workshops and assembly lines.

Lifestyle and retail sector company Raghav Lifestyle was also driven by sustainability to install a 1 MW solar project at its facility in Sonipat, Haryana. When it considered switching to clean energy sources, it found solar to be the best option.

The installation caters to the company’s daily power consumption during daytime, which accounts for a significant portion of its electricity demand.

Energy Bills Savings

The companies all expect significant savings from their solar installations.

Amrit Bottlers, which has an annual energy requirement of 16 million units (MU) to 18 MU, forecasts savings of ₹120 million (~$1.36 million) per year from its solar project.

Birla Corporation’s two facilities are expected to achieve combined annual savings of ₹80 million (~$908,644) to ₹100 million (~$1.13 million) from their installations.

Jupiter Wagons’ facility consumes approximately 1.2 MU to 1.5 MU annually, and it projects yearly savings of ₹8 million (~$90,864.4) from its solar system.

Raghav Lifestyle consumes roughly 2 MU of electricity per year and forecasts savings of ₹10 million (~$113,580.5).

All these companies plan to expand the capacity of their solar installations in the future.

Technology Used

Commenting on the technology used in the solar projects, installer VSL said, “We use high-efficiency mono PERC solar modules/TOPCon bifacial modules depending on the project requirements. These modules provide better performance in terms of higher energy yield, lower degradation, and improved performance under low-light conditions.”

The company installed string and central inverters at the solar projects based on the project size and configuration. “All inverters are sourced from Tier-1 global manufacturers with proven reliability and strong after-sales support. The selection is made considering efficiency, grid compliance, safety, and ease of maintenance.”

Setting up solar systems at various locations presents unique challenges for each installation. “Like any large infrastructure project, challenges do arise, such as land levelling, soil conditions, logistics for material movement, and occasional weather delays. Our engineering team addresses these with proactive site planning, customized mounting structures, and close coordination with local stakeholders to ensure timelines and quality standards are met,” the company said.

Commercial and industrial businesses in India are increasingly switching to renewable energy, inspired not just by environmental concerns but also by strategic business considerations.

Mercom India is hosting the fourth event in the ‘C&I Clean Energy Meet’ series in Jaipur on September 19, 2025, at The Lalit Jaipur. The event will bring together C&I businesses, clean energy solutions providers, consultants, energy auditors, equipment and component manufacturers, lenders, investors, industry associates, facility and plant managers, engineers, procurement managers, and C-level executives to share the knowledge and tools needed to adopt clean energy solutions and lower power costs.