For energy-intensive industries, switching to renewable energy sources is no longer considered an option but a business imperative. Many have set clean energy goals as part of their decarbonization strategies. While a reduction in energy bills is an obvious benefit of switching to renewables, the larger goals of operational sustainability and brand image are at the heart of this transition to clean energy.

When Kolkata-based heavy engineering and rail infrastructure company Texmaco Rail & Engineering (Texmaco) decided to lower its reliance on grid energy by switching to solar, it was not just ticking another box on sustainability. As Indrajit Mookerjee, Vice Chairman and Executive Director at Texmaco, put it, the solar initiative was a “bold and forward-looking step in redefining how Indian industry powers its future.”

Texmaco recently commissioned a 10 MW open access group captive solar project in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, in partnership with AMPIN Energy Transition.

The project will generate over 15 million units of clean energy annually for Texmaco’s Raipur operations. The project is expected to provide the company with greater control over its power supply, reduce grid dependency, and decrease its energy costs by 30% to 40%, or by approximately ₹2.32 (~$0.027)/kWh.

The solar project aligns with its goal of reducing emissions from its operations. In the financial year 2024, Texmaco consumed 171.87 GJ of energy from renewable sources. It also installed a 50 kW rooftop solar system at its corporate office.

Texmaco manufactures rolling stock, including wagons, coaches, electric multiple units, and locomotive shells, hydro-mechanical equipment, steel castings, bridges, and other steel structures. It also provides rail engineering, procurement, and manufacturing services.

At a recent C&I Clean Energy Meet hosted by Mercom India in Mumbai, industry experts shared insights on how commercial and industrial (C&I) businesses can save on power bills by switching to solar and choose between open-access and rooftop solar solutions.

Mercom India has been organizing a series of C&I Clean Energy Meets, designed to provide C&I energy buyers with the knowledge and tools they need to adopt clean energy solutions and reduce their power costs.

The next event in the series is scheduled to be held in Hyderabad on August 22, 2025.