A world leader in clean energy and pioneer of wind power in India, we explore the ways in which Suzlon Energy’s innovation and technology expertise are redefining the renewables sector.
POWERING THE TRANSITION TOWARDS AN ENERGY-SECURE FUTURE
As India’s number one wind energy solutions provider, Suzlon Energy (Suzlon) has spent the past 30 years revolutionising and redefining the way wind resources are harnessed across the world with a singular mission of making energy affordable and accessible for the millions of people living in the dark.
Suzlon was amongst the first wind turbine manufacturers to lay the foundation for energy security in the overlooked markets of Australia, Brazil, and China, which had significant wind potential. Today, some of these countries have some of the highest wind energy installations in the world.
From offering end-to-end wind energy solutions, erection, and post-commissioning services to positioning wind as a viable solution for a low-carbon economy, Suzlon has a remarkably impactful footprint.
The company started with the objective of boosting green jobs and sustainable manufacturing whilst reducing carbon emissions caused by fossil fuels in countries where power costs were either eating into consumers’ pockets or weren’t affordable.
By targeting emerging markets, Suzlon empowered several countries to build on their renewable energy ecosystems and reduce fossil fuel imports, achieving true energy independence. It did so by utilising local talent to ensure the indigenous people of every country earned a livelihood.
One of the pioneering voices in climate change advocacy, Suzlon’s innovative approach to wind energy’s business models transformed the way renewable energy’s viability was perceived and convinced both private and government players to buy into the promise of clean energy at the onset of the 2000s.
Through its customer-first philosophy, Suzlon eliminated several bottlenecks that hindered the expansion of both India and the global wind energy industry. With the historic acquisition of Hansen (now ZF Group), the company resolved the gearbox crisis for all stakeholders, putting the power of demand generation in its customers’ hands and debottlenecking the industry’s growth forever.
Cementing its international expertise with 21.1 gigawatts (GW) of installations worldwide, Suzlon is the first and only Indian wind energy company to achieve 20GW of global wind energy installations within three decades of operations.
In India, the company is a market stalwart with over 111 wind farms and an installed capacity of more than 15.1GW. Here, it has developed some of Asia’s largest operational onshore wind farms in nine states, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu.
As the leader of India’s energy transition journey, Suzlon holds the greatest market share in the country at 30 percent and the largest fleet of assets under maintenance. Furthermore, Suzlon has India’s largest wind energy orders in the public sector undertaking (PSU) and commercial and industrial (C&I) segments and the highest-ever order book of 5.6GW, making it the wind original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and operator of choice.
The company’s diverse client portfolio spans power utilities and electricity producers in the private and public sectors. With a presence in 17 countries across Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, Suzlon’s turnkey solutions, lifetime support, and best-in-class products make it an unparalleled international force for customers looking to grow their green portfolio and build a sustainable world through renewable energy systems.
Ultimately, Suzlon aims to make renewable energy not only simple but cost-effective, meeting the breadth and depth of customer requirements across the renewable energy value chain and working towards its vision of growth driven by sustainable development.
THE FATHER OF INDIA’S RENEWABLE ENERGY
Suzlon is not only home to constant innovation and progress but also a rich and fascinating history.
Tulsi Tanti, Founder of Suzlon Group, was the driving force behind the company’s international growth. His strategic vision and business acumen transformed the energy company, making it an unparalleled global powerhouse.
A mechanical engineer, Tanti initially owned a family textile business in Gujarat facing challenges due to the high cost of electricity and frequent power outages. Wanting to explore alternative ways to fuel his business’s need for power, he purchased two wind turbines to produce his own electricity and bring down power costs. After experiencing the power of wind energy himself, he soon realised he had unearthed the one solution that would make India’s textile industry globally competitive.
Tanti made the bold decision to shift gears and enter the energy sector in 1995, and thus, Suzlon was born.
After the company’s establishment, it quickly gained a reputation as a world-class provider of complete wind energy solutions, going so far as to establish a technical relationship with German company Südwind Energy GmbH to strengthen and build its expertise in designing wind turbine generators (WTGs).
This expertise allowed Suzlon to set up WTGs across India, further its product innovation, and fast-forward its efforts to become one of the most vertically integrated wind turbine manufacturers in the world.
In just a few years, Suzlon achieved its first milestone of 1GW of installed capacity in India. In 2005, the company was listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange after attaining a leadership position in wind power generation. Its initial public offering was oversubscribed 15 times, winning it the ‘IPO of the Year’ award by Ernst & Young in 2006.
In the following years, Suzlon embarked upon its landmark initiatives – the Pure Air Lovers’ Society – which gave India its largest community of over a million environmentalists under its ‘Clean Air Revolution’ and state-of-the-art training centres for wind technicians in North America and India, which successfully prepared trainees to lead the future of renewable energy.
Tanti was a global voice for climate change. He joined a group of influential individuals working towards energy transition called ‘Energy Shapers’, headed by Klaus Schwab, former Chairman of the World Economic Forum, to ensure clean energy received its rightful place in meaningful climate conversations.
In 2009, Tanti became the first of only three Indians to receive the prestigious ‘Champion of the Earth’ title by the UN. Suzlon’s efforts were recognised by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, where it received the Gigaton Prize for global leadership in emission reduction.
Today, India is the third-largest producer of wind energy and the fourth-largest market for renewable energy employment in the world. Suzlon helps prevent 53.37 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, which is equivalent to 4.43 billion trees absorbing CO2 every year – all because of one man’s vision and untiring commitment to fighting for the planet and its most vulnerable communities.
CONTINUOUS INNOVATION
With a vision of being the best global renewable company, Suzlon actively innovates for sustainable, socioeconomic, and ecological development, creating a better life for future generations.
Suzlon’s 3 megawatt (MW) series has taken its home market by storm, owing to its high performance even in low-wind sites, and has made meeting net zero targets for corporations fairly uncomplicated.
In addition to offering 40-43 percent higher energy output than its predecessors, the S144 wind turbine from this series has the lowest recorded carbon emissions of any turbine in the world at 6.16 grams of CO2 (gCO2 per kilowatt hour (kWh), setting a new benchmark for global wind technology.
The company’s multidimensional approach to value engineering and cost reduction provides better margins and a competitive advantage, allowing it to provide and sustain the very best in renewable energy solutions.
Some of Suzlon’s initial batch of wind turbines are still operational about 28 years later. Not only is this a testament to the company’s reliability, but the long lifecycle of the technology is also an assurance of increased profitability from each turbine for its customers.
A GREENER TOMORROW FOR ALL
Suzlon believes the business and the surrounding environment are interdependent and, therefore, the focus should be on strengthening the organic link between them. It provides sustainable development to the villages around its wind farms, seeding hope and joy into the lives of those it serves.
Specifically, Suzlon’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) mission comprises four main goals – having minimal impact on the natural environment, enabling local communities to develop their potential, empowering employees to be responsible civil society members, and committing to ethical business practices that are fair to all stakeholders.
To achieve these goals, the company launched the Suzlon Foundation in 2007, through which it proudly makes a positive impact on society across the five capitals of financial, social, physical, natural, and human. With its Zero programmes and innovative livelihood support, the foundation has positively impacted 1.2 million people and over one million animals whilst conserving 47 million cubic metres of water.
Whilst the foundation is predominantly India-focused at the moment, it anticipates expanding globally.
Under its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments, Suzlon is aligned with 16 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The company is on track to achieve net zero Scope 1 (direct emissions) and Scope 2 (purchased electricity emissions) well ahead of its 2035 target. It has also achieved 90 percent zero waste to landfill (ZWTL) at group level against its target of achieving 100 percent ZWTL by 2028.
As the company continues to work towards powering a greener tomorrow, it acknowledges that future generations deserve a healthy, sustainable environment and that the integration of environmental and socioeconomic values into business operations will be key to long-term success.
SUZLON ENERGY PARTNER
