Lucknow: Renewable energy company — Avaada Energy — is expanding its presence in Uttar Pradesh with plans to set up a new 85 MW solar power project in Chitrakoot, scale up solar module manufacturing capacity in Greater Noida and Hathras, and develop a 590 MW firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) project to supply reliable green power to the state during peak demand hours.The company already operates a 70 MW solar plant in Budaun and a 90 MW project in Banda. It will invest around Rs 250 crore in the upcoming Chitrakoot project, which is expected to come up on nearly 200 acres of govt land taken on lease.Construction is likely to begin this year and the project is expected to be commissioned by 2027.Avaada Energy CEO, T R Kishor Nair, said the Chitrakoot project is part of the company’s strategy to expand renewable energy generation capacity in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the Bundelkhand region, where land availability and solar radiation conditions are comparatively favourable.The project is expected to supply renewable power primarily to private companies through power purchase agreements.Apart from utility scale solar projects, the company also has a manufacturing presence in the state.Avaada currently operates a 1,500 MW solar module manufacturing facility at Dadri in Gautam Buddh Nagar. The plant manufactures N type tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) modules, which are considered next generation high efficiency solar panels. The facility was developed with an investment of nearly Rs 400 crore.“We are about to establish an integrated solar manufacturing facility in Greater Noida and Hathras with a proposed capacity of 6,000 MW to 7,000 MW covering the complete solar module value chain,” Nair told TOI.Avaada is also developing a firm and dispatchable renewable energy (FDRE) project for Uttar Pradesh. Under the project, the company will supply 590 MW power to the state through a renewable energy system supported by large-scale battery storage.FDRE is a reliable power supply that combines solar, wind and energy storage systems to deliver electricity on demand.“We have signed an agreement to provide power to Uttar Pradesh at Rs 4.25 per unit. The project includes 2,500 MWh battery storage capacity and power can be dispatched anytime between 6 pm and midnight depending on the state’s demand,” Nair said.
