Project “Solar City” kicks off Amritsar

12 May 2023 CW Team

The Punjab government has begun the first phase of the project to transform Amritsar into a solar city in an effort to reduce the dependency on expensive conventional power sources and advance solar energy in the region.

According to M P Singh, director of the Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA), 190 government buildings will have solar roofing installed with a total capacity of 2.33 MW after a thorough inspection was carried out with the aid of drones.

Rooftop solar systems will be installed in 74 buildings during phase-I of the project, for which the bidding procedure has already begun.

Along with the Amritsar Smart City Portal and the Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO) portal, the Punjab Department of New and Renewable Energy Sources unveiled the decision support tool (DST). To assure the promotion of energy efficiency in industries like building, industry, municipalities, agriculture, and transport, a state energy action plan was also launched. The goal of the energy action plan is to help the state departments implement the most long-term, inter- sectoral, and sustainable renewable energy strategy possible.

According to A Venu Prasad, additional chief secretary for the department of renewable energy sources, the state energy action plan will aid in achieving the objectives of net zero emissions in many sectors.

He urged all departments to step up and install solar panels on their office buildings in order to decarbonise the power sector and lower their power consumption costs by 25% to 30%. He stressed the importance of accelerating the implementation of the action plan and conducting quarterly progress reviews. In order to implement the IGEN Access to Energy initiative, which is supported by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, PEDA has also inked an agreement with GIZ, a global company controlled by the German government.

Infrastructure Urban

10 Mar 2026

ABB to Invest Rs 6.25 Billion to Expand India Manufacturing

ABB recently announced plans to invest approximately Rs 6.25 billion ($75 million) in India during 2026 to expand its manufacturing footprint and research and development capabilities. The investment follows more than $35 million spent in 2025 and reflects the company’s continued focus on strengthening its ‘local-for-local’ strategy in the country.The investment will support ABB’s Electrification, Motion and Automation businesses and expand manufacturing capacity for infrastructure sectors such as renewable energy, metro rail, data centres and industrial applications. Approximately 300..

Six WOLFF Cranes Handle 60,000 m³ Concrete for German Hospital

Six WOLFF tower cranes are playing a key role in constructing a new hospital complex in Memmingen, Germany, supporting large-scale material handling for the project. The facility is being built on a 7.7-hectare site and will feature six floors, around 480 beds and a gross floor area exceeding 75,000 sq m.Building shell works began recently in February 2025. One WOLFF 6531.12 Cross crane supported early site preparation before being dismantled in autumn 2025, while five remaining cranes continue operations. Over an average deployment period of 16 months, the cranes are expected to move approxim..

REC Funds Rs 115.6 Million CSR Support for Bihar Eye Hospital

REC recently committed Rs 115.6 million under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme for the procurement of clinical and non-clinical equipment at Sankara Eye Hospital in Saharsa, Bihar. The initiative aims to strengthen healthcare infrastructure and improve access to specialised eye care services in the region.A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was recently signed between Pradeep Fellows, Executive Director (CSR), REC Limited, and Wg Cdr V. Shankar (Retd), Trustee and Executive Director of Sankara Eye Hospital, at the REC office in the SCOPE Complex, New Delhi.The support is expecte..