Tata Power Renewable Microgrid & SIDBI To Form Green Enterprises For Rural Entrepreneurs

Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd Inks PDA for 13.2 MW Group Captive Solar Plant 

To commemorate the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Tata Power Renewable Microgrid Limited (TPRMG), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power and Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), have joined hands to launch an innovative program that will see 1,000 green energy enterprises established throughout the nation. The Government of India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat will be supported by this initiative as it will foster sustainable entrepreneurship models across the nation leading to empowerment of rural entrepreneurs.

Under the collaboration, SIDBI will provide entrepreneurs a “Go REsponsive, ENterprise incentive (GREENi)” after they complete a TPRMG-organized capacity building activity. Through its PRAYAAS scheme or partner institutions, SIDBI will also assist in credit linkages to facilitate financing (loans) for setting up or expanding the businesses of rural entrepreneurs. To provide these rural businesses with quality, affordable, dependable and clean green energy (Solar/Wind/Bio-Gas), TPRMG will discover suitable entrepreneurs within its existing Microgrid network as well as in new geographies. TPRMG will also provide rural enterprises, green energy solutions, the technical know-how for maximising energy utilisation and conservation. The ‘Sustainable is Attainable’ program of Tata Power and the Empowering MSMEs campaign of SIDBI, are the driving forces behind this partnership.

“Our partnership with SIDBI is a step toward providing rural enterprises with access to a sustainable energy ecosystem and include them in India’s commitment to the widespread use of renewable energy. This innovative program intends to develop skills to enable low-carbon futures for rural entrepreneurs and economies and to assist in Ease of Doing Business in rural parts of the country” said Dr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power.

“SIDBI has woven its promotional initiatives as a national program which has four buckets of innovation, education4entrepreneruship, Swavalamban connect Kendras and village/ rural/ sustainable enterprise development. Collaboration with Tata Power’s TPRMG is being structured to kindle green rural enterprises. SIDBI has prioritised the green enterprise as its thrust agenda aligned to national commitments on being carbon neutral nation. We are hopeful that this shall trigger the youth from Bharat who are inclined towards job creator role, to go green from the very beginning.” said Sivasubramanian Ramann, CMD SIDBI.

Tata Power, through TPRMG, runs one of the largest Microgrid programs in the world and operates solar-based off-grid generating plant with an energy storage system supplying power to remote areas of the country. The company plans to roll out 10,000 Microgrids in the near future. It has installed more than 200 microgrids, many of which are present in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. A pilot Microgrid program is also being tried out in Odisha.

Microgrids are electricity distribution systems containing loads and distributed energy resources such as distributed generators, storage devices, or controlled loads that can be operated in a controlled, coordinated way either while connected to the main power network or while islanded. The price of power from a Microgrid is around one-fifth of the price of diesel, making it an economical option for many people in rural India. Apart from households, TPRMG consumers in a village include shops, health centres / hospitals, schools/ colleges, banks, other commercial institutions and telecom towers, flour mills, oil expellers, rice hullers, bulk milk chillers, RO Cold water plants, etc.