Biotech company Sanvira Biosciences has saved ₹2.8 million (~$31,776) annually by installing a 368 kW rooftop solar project at its Visakhapatnam facility in Andhra Pradesh.

Sanvira is a contract manufacturer that provides end-to-end services, from early-stage development to large-scale commercialization, for global biotech innovator firms with a focus on advanced fermentation technologies.

With high power needs, the biotech company’s power expenditure ran up to ₹3.3 million (~$37,451) monthly and approximately ₹39.6 million (~$449,409) per year.

To reduce its massive power expenditure, the company decided to invest ₹12.9 million (~$146,398) in installing a rooftop solar system on its premises.

Sanvira said that installing the solar project has reduced operational costs, while also strengthening its resilience against fluctuating grid tariffs.

It stated that the rooftop model was chosen because it wanted to utilize the newly constructed buildings that were erected with tin sheet roofing. Sanvira added that the rooftop system was found to be more feasible and cost-effective than ground-mount projects.

Spanning 16,500 sq feet, the rooftop system generates approximately 45,469 kWh of energy per month and around 1,650 kWh per day.

Hyderabad-based rooftop installer FreyrEnergy set up the project using Waaree’s 585 W TOPCon modules, coupled with multiple string inverters.

The rooftop system is also integrated with smart monitoring solutions. Its system efficiency is tracked using key performance indicators such as performance ratio and capacity factor.

The solar projects are integrated with weather sensors for monitoring solar irradiance, temperature, and wind speeds.

The rooftop system utilizes a web-based remote monitoring system, enabling Sanvira to access project data remotely from anywhere.

All works, including site survey, engineering design, procurement, installation, and commissioning of the project, were completed in 16 weeks.

FreyrEnergy said that since the site was near the seashore, it encountered high wind speeds and frequent rains during the installation of the rooftop system.

It stated that Sanvira can expect a payback period of five to nine years.

Currently, only about 14% of Sanvira’s power needs are met by the rooftop system, and the company plans to expand to a 1 MW rooftop project.

Due to the intermittency of solar power, a battery energy storage system (BESS) is considered a practical option to store energy during solar hours and utilize it during peak hours. However, the high costs of BESS discouraged Sanvira from opting for it.

Mercom India is hosting its C&I Clean Energy Meets to bring renewable energy suppliers and commercial and industrial entities on the same platform where they can gain insights into the best possible options to switch to clean energy, innovative financing mechanisms, and regulatory developments from industry experts.

The next in the series is the Mercom C&I Clean Energy Virtual Meet 2025 for businesses in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh scheduled for October 16, 2025.