Swaraj Tractors and Mahindra Susten have commissioned a 42 MWp solar project at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda, Punjab, marking a major step in Swaraj's shift towards cleaner manufacturing. The facility occupies about 141 acres and is expected to generate 61.54 million (mn) units of renewable electricity annually, which will offset roughly 42,000 t of carbon dioxide emissions each year. The installation is described as one of the largest group captive solar projects in the state and is intended to meet around 50 per cent of Swaraj's manufacturing electricity requirements.

Renewable electricity from the Bathinda facility will supply manufacturing, assembly and foundry operations in Mohali, with residual capacity proposed to green electricity consumption across other Mahindra Group entities in Punjab. Mahindra Susten developed and commissioned the project through its independent power producer platform and will manage the facility under the group captive arrangement. The companies envisage closer collaboration to explore expanding renewable supply to the tractor maker.

Swaraj is pursuing a two-pronged energy strategy that focuses on reducing overall consumption while progressively replacing conventional sources with renewables. Company leadership frames sustainability as integral to business growth and highlights innovation, productivity and technology as central to the manufacturing roadmap. The company has earlier secured EP100 certification for doubling energy productivity and received recognition for energy efficiency efforts.

The Bathinda plant uses high-efficiency N-Type TOPCon bifacial solar modules mounted on fixed-tilt structures to capture direct and reflected radiation, and more than 97 per cent of project components have been sourced domestically. Semi-automated robotic cleaning systems have been installed to reduce water use, saving an estimated 1.92 mn litres annually, and environmental and social impact assessments informed measures to manage waste and protect local ecology.

Mahindra Susten views the project as an initial commercial and industrial supply through the group captive model and is assessing options to increase renewable electricity supply and grid capacity in Punjab. The companies are also evaluating the addition of battery energy storage to shift solar generation across the day and move towards round-the-clock renewable power, while Susten continues to expand its executed and pipeline capacities to support hybrid projects and storage integration.