India’s largest solar carport at Tata Motor’s Pune plant

Tata Motors and Tata Power jointly inaugurated the country’s largest grid-synchronised, behind-the-meter solar carport at Tata Motors’ car plant at Chikhali in Pune.

The 6.2 MWp solar carport deployed by Tata Power will generate 86.4 lakh kWh of electricity per year and is estimated to reduce 7,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually and 1.6 lakh tonnes over its lifecycle.

Spanning over 30,000 square meters, this carport will not only generate green power, but will also provide covered parking for finished cars in the plant, said a press release.

Envisioned as part of its net zero carbon goal for 2039, Tata Motors had entered into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Tata Power on August 31, 2020. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, both companies successfully managed to develop this massive carport infrastructure in a record time of 9.5 months, added the release.

Mr. Shailesh Chandra, President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, said, “We have always been conscious of the need to conserve energy and are committed towards achieving 100 pc renewable energy source for all our operations. Our partnership with Tata Power to deploy India’s largest solar carport at our car plant in Pune is a step in that direction.”

Dr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power, said: “As One Tata initiative, we are proud to partner with Tata Motors and inaugurate India’s largest solar carport. Our partnership is a testament to our collective efforts to lower the carbon footprint and provide innovative and future-focused green energy solutions.”