Fortum today (Tuesday) launched a 10 MW greenfield PV plant in Madhya Pradesh, India, its second project in the country.
"Fortum believes in responsible energy production focusing on low emissions, high resource efficiency and security of supply," said Markus Rauramo, executive vice president for heat, electricity sales and solutions at Fortum, opening the project.
"To deliver on our promise we focus more and more on renewable energy sources available locally and that is why we decided to focus on solar energy in India. In my view, such an approach can help India transform its energy sector and Fortum has already shown interest in contributing towards this transformation."
The new plant is the first greenfield solar project commissioned under Phase II of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM). It will operate with a PPA signed by Fortum, for 25 years, with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
"Fortum is renowned across the globe for its expertise in sustainable energy," said SECI MD Dr. Ashvini Kumar. "We have started to witness a similar replication in India, with its commitment to promoting solar energy.
"This is evident through its fast-track project implementation model and it is our pleasure to congratulate it for the completion of its first project under JNNSM Phase II."
The 10MW plant spreads over 70 acres in Kapeli, Ujjain district. Fortum used thin-film CdTe technology with more than 125,000 modules mounted on fixed-tilt structures and 15 central invertors, allowing for better control of carbon footprint, water use and energy payback time.
With the 10 MW plant, Fortum's solar portfolio increased to 15 MW. The company is investigating opportunities to build a platform for future growth with its solar technology offering.
