Pharma Firm Sami-Sabinsa Procures Solar Power for Karnataka Operations from O2 Power

Pharma player Sami-Sabinsa Group has signed a long-term mutual agreement with clean energy major O2 Renewable Energy for the purchase of 150 million units (MU) of renewable power over a 25-year period.

Sami-Sabinsa is a research-oriented firm that uses sustainable nutraceutical/ cosmeceutical ingredients. O2 Renewable Energy is a subsidiary of Singapore-based renewable energy developer O2 Energy SG PTE Limited.

In line with its objective to promote green manufacturing, Sami-Sabinsa Group will adopt captive solar energy for all of its manufacturing plants in Karnataka, India.

The pharma firm is collaborating to set up a 3.60 MW DC solar project at Bellary district in Karnataka at an estimated cost of $0.75 Million per MW of the solar capacity of the project. Sami-Sabinsa Group will subscribe to a minimum of 26% of the securities in this project, and has signed a security subscription and shareholders’ agreement with O2 Energy, Singapore, and its Indian subsidiary towards the project.

The solar power project is expected to be commissioned by October 2023. It will supply 6.35 million units of clean alternate energy annually to Sami-Sabinsa’s five manufacturing facilities in Karnataka.

Sami-Sabinsa Group says that this investment in clean energy will make a significant contribution to India’s transition towards more sustainable energy and combating climate change.

"Our investment in solar energy with a focus on adopting high-quality and environmentally friendly solutions will help us do our part in combating climate change and reducing the carbon footprint," said Sami-Sabinsa Group Founder and Chairman, Dr. Muhammed Majeed.

"The effort will contribute to Sami-Sabinsa’s goal of anchoring sustainability in every aspect of its business and preserving natural resources," said Dr. Anju Majeed, Director, Sami-Sabinsa Group. “Furthermore, the initiative will create jobs for the local communities. This step will also help us improve energy efficiency at our manufacturing facilities while providing savings on energy costs."

India is called the ‘Pharmacy of the World’ as the industry has highest share in the world in terms of volume of production and exports. Industries are trying to decarbonize its footprints through investments in renewable energy projects. Recently, Amp Energy India commissioned a 5 MW solar power plant in Maharashtra’s Osmanabad for vaccine biopharmaceutical major BSV (Bharat Serums and Vaccines Ltd).

Cipla also has a solar power facility in its name of 30 MW capacity at Tuljapur, Maharashtra.