Amplus Solar rebrands as Gentari, Pungalia named India head
The move marks a significant consolidation of Gentari's renewable energy business in India, unifying its operations under a single brand as it aims to scale its clean energy offerings across both distributed and utility-scale segments. It also comes amid a leadership transition, with Amplus chief executive Sharad Pungalia taking over as Gentari's country head in India following the recent departure of Navjit Gill.
'With over 20 years of experience in India's energy sector, Sharad will now lead Gentari's overall integrated operations in India, spanning its renewable energy, hydrogen, and green mobility businesses,' a company statement said.
Petronas, the Malaysian state-run energy major, acquired Amplus in 2019. Since 2023, Amplus has been operating as part of the Gentari group. Gentari said the latest move not only reflects a unified brand identity but also strengthens alignment across teams, enabling the group to deliver more cohesive and scalable clean energy solutions.
'This integration further brings together Amplus Solar's deep expertise in the C&I segment with Gentari's broader utility-scale ambitions,' the statement added.
Sushil Purohit, CEO of Gentari, added: 'By bringing together our capabilities in C&I and utility-scale renewables under one roof, we are strengthening our foundation to deliver greater value to our customers. Under a united Gentari brand, we intend to take a more unified and impactful approach in accelerating energy transition in India.'
Purohit credited Pungalia's leadership at Amplus for cementing Gentari's presence in the renewables space. 'His depth of industry experience and track record in scaling clean energy solutions position him well to further propel our India operations forward,' he said.
Gentari currently has a renewable energy capacity of about 6 GW in India, including both operational and under-construction projects. This includes the capacity of Amplus Solar.
The company is also developing a 650-MW round-the-clock carbon-free energy project to supply power to AMG Ammonia's upcoming green ammonia facilities under a long-term purchase agreement.
In March, Gentari acquired a 1.6 GW portfolio of solar and wind assets in India from New York-based Brookfield Asset Management. It is also a shareholder in AM Green, a green hydrogen and ammonia company aiming to produce 5 million tonnes of green ammonia annually by 2030, equivalent to 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen.
First Published: 5 May 2025, 05:57 PM IST
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
ATMA receives international honour for tyre safety awareness
Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) has been bestowed with a prestigious Special Recognition Award by UK-based tyre safety charity TyreSafe during its annual briefing recently. This acknowledgment marks the first instance of TyreSafe presenting an international award, underscoring worldwide appreciation of ATMA's tyre safety drive. Highlighting the award citation, TyreSafe noted "ATMA India's 'Special Recognition' award is a testament to their profound dedication and innovative approach to tyre safety. Their initiatives have educated over 20,000 participants, inspected more than 30,000 tyres, and inspired future road safety advocates through their impactful Ideathons program, setting them apart and aligning with TyreSafe's global vision for safer roads." "We are immensely proud that TyreSafe has recognised ATMA's work in tyre safety. This award underscores our commitment to elevating public awareness and encouraging responsible tyre maintenance through engagement with motorists and institutional partnerships. Our journey continues with the shared vision of making roads safer across India" said Mr. Arun Mammen, Chairman, ATMA. "This recognition by TyreSafe validates our extensive grassroots efforts: from petrol pump tyre clinics and university workshops to Ideathons and expressway campaigns. Educating over 20,000 people and inspecting 30,000 tyres is just the beginning. We will keep amplifying our message: proper tyre maintenance is crucial not just for vehicle performance but for saving lives" said Mr. Sudershan Gusain, Head - Tyre Safety Awareness, ATMA/ITTAC Over the years, ATMA has cast a wide footprint of tyre safety activities including: Nationwide public outreach: ATMA, together with its technical arm Indian Tyre Technical Advisory Committee (ITTAC), has actively carried out more than 200 tyre safety activations--ranging from roadside tyre clinics and petrol pump check-up zones to school workshops and university engagements in the last few years. Over 20000 individuals, including motorists, commercial drivers, students, and public service officials, were reached during this time. Institutional partnerships: Collaborations with Indian Oil Corporation saw over 1000 tanker drivers across different states enroll in comprehensive tyre maintenance training. Similar programs were held with several state government transport departments and road transport bodies. Educational outreach & Ideathons: School Connect initiatives reached nearly 10,000 school students, while college-level Ideathons--like those at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo--engaged youth in developing innovative road safety concepts The 2025 edition featured creative solutions like the Tyre Safety Ring, unveiled in collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways Expressway campaigns: On the Samruddhi Mahamarg and Yamuna Expressway, ATMA/ITTAC engineers carried out tyre inspections on over 2,000 vehicles, distributing safety booklets and awareness materials Continuous industry-led education: ATMA and ITTAC also organize webinars, animation films, social-media campaigns and signage materials. They support through publications like the ITTAC Standards Manual and Tyre Condition guides. As India continues to address the challenge of road safety, ATMA and ITTAC remain dedicated to scaling tyre and road safety outreach. ATMA urges vehicle users, academic institutions, transport authorities and policy makers to join this expanding movement. Supported by member companies--Apollo, Bridgestone, CEAT, JK Tyre, MRF--ATMA is committed to partnering with state and central government bodies to ensure tyres are recognized not merely as mechanical components, but as essential life-safety systems.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Vikram Solar says co evaluating plans to set up manufacturing unit in the US
Representative image. Solar photovoltaic modules maker Vikram Solar is evaluating plans to set up operations in the US, company chairman and managing director Gyanesh Chaudhary told ET. "We are evaluating our plans to set up operations in the US and looking at how things will pan out in the light of the tariffs," Chaudhary said on to sources, Vikram Solar was planning to invest around $1.5 billion in setting up a 3 GW (gigawatt) solar photovoltaic modules plant in the US as part of the company's expansion plan of 15.5 GW module and 5 GW cell capacity by fiscal year however declined to comment on the investments being planned in the possible US facility. The company, which has filed a draft prospectus for its initial public offer, has a 4.5 GW module manufacturing capacity across its two plants in Bengal and Tamil Nadu. It has a sales office in the US which is also its largest export market, contributing around 61.10% of the company's total revenue from operations as of Wednesday the company fixed a price band of Rs 315 to Rs 332 per share for its upcoming Rs 2,079 crore initial public offering (IPO). The Kolkata-based firm's maiden public issue would open for subscription on August 19 and conclude on August 21, it IPO will include fresh issues of equities worth up to Rs 1,500 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of over 1.74 crore shares valued at around Rs 579.37 crore at the upper end of the price band, by its promoters. Of the fresh issuance, the company plans to use the proceeds for funding capital expenditure for investment in its wholly owned subsidiary, VSL Green Power Private Ltd, for both Phase I and Phase II of the project. Vikram Solar commenced its manufacturing operations in 2009 with an installed solar PV module manufacturing capacity of 12 MW, grown to 4.50 GW installed capacity as of the date. The company said its key domestic customers include prominent government entities, such as NTPC, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, and Gujarat Industries Power Company and private independent power producers (IPPs), like ACME Cleantech Solutions Adani Green Energy, Azure Power India, JSW Energy and Rays Power Infra, among others. The company is also planning to enter the battery energy storage systems (BESS) segment as a strategy to diversify its portfolio. It plans to start with a 1 GW BESS facility which will be scaled up to 10 GW or more.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Mahindra plans to export EVs to UK with trade agreement in place
Mumbai-based Mahindra & Mahindra is preparing to export its electric vehicles (EVs) to the United Kingdom, leveraging opportunities arising from the recently finalised India-UK free trade agreement (FTA), Group CEO and Managing Director Anish Shah told PTI Videos. The company, a leading player in India's domestic EV segment, expects electric vehicles to account for 30 per cent of its overall sales by 2030. In 2022, Mahindra inaugurated its Mahindra Advanced Design Europe (M.A.D.E) facility in Banbury, Oxfordshire, which serves as the conceptual hub for the company's electric product portfolio. Shah highlighted India's potential to become a global hub for automobile manufacturing. "We are looking forward to exporting our electric vehicles to the UK and to take a bigger share of the UK market and competing in the UK on the back of this FTA," he said. Shah highlighted the government's approach to the India-UK trade agreement, noting that it opens up the domestic market to UK goods while also boosting Indian exports across multiple industries. He said the FTA is expected to foster innovation and strengthen manufacturing in the country. Using the automobile sector as an example, he pointed out that India has significant potential to become a global auto manufacturing hub. While the industry is currently smaller, improvements in ease of doing business, logistics costs, and import duties are enabling the production of higher-quality vehicles domestically. He added that India's manufacturing hub potential extends beyond domestic firms to global automakers. "We want the best global automakers to be in India and produce in India. It will spur businesses. It will be better... more competition makes us better over time. So it's very important for us to be able to have a very thriving auto industry in India, consumers having the choice of the best cars in the world," Shah said. Addressing concerns over the entry of global EV players such as Tesla and Vinfast into the Indian market, Shah said Mahindra sees competition as a growth opportunity. "We are actually excited about it. And it's something I say in all seriousness, because if you look back at the last 25 years, we had this question come up numerous times," he said, referring to past entries of Ford, Hyundai, and Kia. "And we've not just survived. We've gotten better as we've had competition that came in, and today we are actually standing at a much stronger position," Shah added. The company's strong research and development capabilities in India allow it to manufacture high-quality vehicles at competitive costs, he noted. "We think it's good for India to have a thriving auto ecosystem, and that's something that we feel is better for consumers and good for us," he said. Shah highlighted Mahindra's growing market share in the SUV segment, which has risen from 11 per cent to 27 per cent over time, with a 5.7 percentage-point increase in the last quarter alone. "Now we have not set specific numbers for 2030 as to what a market share should be. Our focus is on developing the best products. Execute very well, and that will enable us to keep a leadership position," he said. Mahindra plans to expand its product range across domestic and international markets. "We will focus on certain markets, first get to a strong market share, then focus on the next set of markets. So we see a lot of opportunities for growth, and it starts with creating the best products," Shah said. On the company's SUV strategy, he added: "We chose to be in SUVs because we had strength in that area. We could build authentic SUVs very well, and we've taken that strength and augmented it by a number of things around more refined cars, much better technology in cars, and that's helped us get where we are. As we go forward. We feel that we may look at other actions, we may look at slightly smaller SUVs to start with." Regarding potential global acquisitions, Shah said Mahindra will prioritise strategic moves that strengthen its core business. "SML (stake acquisition) is a classic example. It's one that takes our truck business to a different level and puts it on a much better path for growth and as we see opportunities to do that and to be able to deliver the returns for our investors, we will do it," he said. On rare earth magnet shortages affecting EV production, Shah said alternatives are being explored. "There are potential alternatives as well. So we are working through some of those," he noted. He added that India has strengthened its resilience through past disruptions such as the semiconductor shortage and expects to manage challenges arising from geopolitical factors. "As I said, it's one of the geopolitical disruptions. We had semiconductors, and going through that has made us stronger, and that has allowed us to look at what are the potential alternatives here. And I believe the government is also doing a lot to look at alternatives for vehicles and permanent magnets as well. So we feel that we should be able to handle that and then move forward on this," Shah said.
