The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) has entered a solar power purchase agreement (PPA) with a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Company Limited (TPCL) for all its hotels in the city of Mumbai. The South Asia's 'largest' hospitality company by market capitalization will be sourcing solar power for its properties The Taj Mahal Palace, Taj Lands End and Taj Wellington Mews.
IHCL aims to get around 60% energy from green sources of energy for these properties for a period of 25 years under the PPA with TP Kirnali Solar Limited. It claims to have increased its overall renewable energy mix from 7% to 25%.
"We are glad to collaborate with IHCL to reduce their carbon footprint and reaffirm the Tata Group's commitment for sustainability. Presently, the association is limited to IHCL properties in Mumbai and we look forward to working closely with them for covering all their facilities across India," said Tata Power Managing Director and CEO Praveer Sinha.
IHCL has 200 hotels in its portfolio across the globe including 42 under development. One of the hotels in the arrangement with Tata Power includes The Taj Mahal Palace that is an iconic building in India as it was the first hotel opened by the Tata Group founder Jamshetji Tata back in 1903. Standing next to the Gateway of India on the shores of Mumbai, the luxury hotel was one of the targets of a terrorist attack in 2008.
The concept of corporate solar PPAs is picking up in India as part of a surge for rooftop solar in the commercial and industrial segment, Mercom India Research recently pointed out that after a slump in installations due to COVID-19 during H1/2020 (see Only 205 MW PV Installed In India During Q2/2020).