Concrete

The 1st Solar Today Awards 2016

Published

10 years ago

October 31, 2016

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The very first Solar Today Awards 2016 was successfully held at the InterSolar Exhibition in Mumbai on October 21, 2016, in the presence of the industry’s best and brightest.

The Solar Today Awards 2016 function began with the lighting of the lamp by G Adhiseshu, Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Solar Power Corporation Private Ltd; Pratap Padode, Managing Director, ASAPP Info Global Group and Sumit Banerjee, Chairman, Advisory Board, ASAPP Info Global Group.

This was followed up with an introductory address by Padode, wherein he spoke about the business climate in the country and how despite tough times – financially and otherwise – India Inc is now moving forward in the solar sector. He stated confidence in businesses geared towards sustainability, solar energy and energy storage, which can be the game changers that the country needs.

After the address, an expert panel comprising Prafulla Pathak, Secretary General, Solar Energy Society of India; Preetam D’Souza, Partner, Kochhar & Co; Shirish S Garud, Director and Senior Fellow, TERI and Santosh Janakiram, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and moderated by Vinay Rustagi, Managing Director, Bridge to India, discussed ‘Competitive bidding for solar projects in India’.

While coming to a general consensus that competition in the solar field has drastically brought down solar costs, thus making it more financially competitive, they further felt that viability of such projects is now under question and the structure essentially eliminates smaller players from venturing anywhere near the sector.

The main event on the itinerary for the evening – the awards ceremony – was conducted next. Parameters for the basis of selection for companies were considerations on their grid-connected projects above 1 MW, AC capacity numbers where available and capacity commissioned in the last 12 months.

For the first six awards – Utility Scale Solar (Project Developer and EPC Contractor); Rooftop Solar (Project Developer and EPC Contractor); Module Manufacturer and Inverter Manufacturer – winners were decided purely based on the size or capacity. The decision of the top three players has been adjudged on the basis of data collected by Bridge to India.

The latter four awards – Top Manufacturer in India – Quality and Cost Competitiveness; Best Innovation in the Sector; Best Start-up in the Sector and Emerging State – were selected by the Jury, based on discussions conducted and the nominations received. Here, for the Jury’s Choice Award for Manufacturer in India (Composite) – Quality and Competitiveness, the factors considered were strong reputation for quality, ability to compete internationally and whether the company is amongst the Top 10 players in the country, by virtue of size and volume.

The winners of the 1st inaugural Solar Today Awards 2016:

Utility Scale Solar- Project Developer – Adani Green Energy Ltd (Largest)
Utility Scale Solar- Project Developer – Acme (Second Largest)
Utility Scale Solar – EPC contractor: Mahindra Susten Pvt Ltd (Largest)
Utility Scale Solar – EPC contractor: Sterling and Wilson Pvt Ltd (Second Largest)
Utility Scale Solar – EPC contractor: L&T (Third Largest)
Rooftop Solar – Project Developer: CleanMax Solar (Largest)
Rooftop Solar – Project Developer: Amplus Energy Solutions Pvt Ltd (Second Largest)
Rooftop Solar – EPC: Tata Power Solar System Ltd (Largest)
Rooftop Solar – EPC: Su-Kam Power Systems Ltd (Second Largest)
Rooftop Solar – EPC: Hero Future Energies Ltd (Third Largest)
Top Manufacturer (Module): Vikram Solar Pvt Ltd
Top Manufacturer (Inverter): ABB India Ltd
Jury’s Choice Award for Best Manufacturer in India (Composite): Vikram Solar Pvt Ltd
Jury’s Choice Award for Best Innovation in the solar sector: Su-Kam Power Systems Ltd
Jury’s Choice Award for Best Start-up in the solar sector: OMC Power
Emerging State in the solar sector: Andhra Pradesh

The ceremony ended on a high note with a keynote address by Adhiseshu, who spoke on the importance of solar and how the Andhra Pradesh government is augmenting its plan to add 4,107 MW of solar power capacity during FY17 to FY22 and has set a target of achieving 2,000 MW of solar rooftop by 2022. He extorted the segment players present at the event to take advantage of this and move forwards confidently.

Concrete

Jammu Division Begins First Cement Rail Traffic to Anantnag

Cement Loading From Kathua for Anantnag to Begin on September 14

Published

2 days ago

September 21, 2026

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Jammu Railway Division has placed an indent for the first movement of cement by rail within the division, linking Shaheed Captain Sunil Kumar Choudhary Kathua Railway Station with Anantnag Railway Station. Loading for the consignment is scheduled to begin on September 14.

Concrete

Hard Worker Wins Three Honours at Kyoorius Design Awards

Ramco Cements’ brand secures Grand Prix and two Blue Elephant honours.

Published

2 days ago

September 21, 2026

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The Ramco Cements Limited’s construction chemicals brand, Hard Worker, has won three honours at the Kyoorius Design Awards 2026, including the Grand Prix – Grey Elephant in the Design in Action category.

The brand also secured two Blue Elephant honours, one for Design in Action and another for Packaging, recognising the design approach behind its brand identity and packaging.

Launched in 2025, Hard Worker entered the construction chemicals segment with the brand promise, “Hard-working products for hardworking people.” Its visual identity uses animals and birds to represent product benefits. The camel represents the water-retention capability of Hard Worker Eco Plaster, while the cheetah represents the speed and performance of Hard Worker Block Fix.

The visual language has been extended across packaging, retail, communication, literature, digital platforms and other brand touchpoints. Hard Worker uses bold colours, distinctive animal illustrations and simple visual storytelling to communicate product benefits across markets and audiences, including construction workers and applicators.

“For Hard Worker, design was never an afterthought. It was fundamental to how we wanted to build the brand. In a category that is largely functional, we wanted to create a brand that people could recognise, understand and remember instantly. The Kyoorius recognition is a wonderful validation of this design-led approach,” said Mr. AV Dharmakrishnan, CEO, The Ramco Cements Limited.

Mr. Balaji K. Moorthy, Executive Director – Marketing, Ramco Cements said “In a category where communication has traditionally been product-led and functional, we wanted Hard Worker to stand apart by making design an integral part of the brand experience. From the distinctive animal-led packaging to our communication across consumer and trade touchpoints, every element was designed to make the brand more memorable and the product benefits easier to understand.”

Within its first 12 months, Hard Worker crossed Rs 3.5 bn in sales. The latest recognition follows six honours secured by the brand’s campaign at the Kyoorius Creative Awards earlier in 2026, including the Grey Elephant Grand Prix for its Eco Plaster film.

The Kyoorius Design Awards recognise outstanding design work in India’s visual communications sector across multiple categories and platforms. The 2026 awards were announced on 12 September in Goa.

The Ramco Cements Limited is part of the Ramco Group and operates across cement and allied building-material solutions. Hard Worker is its construction chemicals brand, offering solutions across key construction applications.

Concrete

Cement Firms to Invest Rs. 130 bn in Green Energy by FY28

Cement companies plan to expand clean energy capacity to 6 GW by FY28

Published

6 days ago

September 17, 2026

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India’s major cement companies are set to raise their clean energy capacity to 6 GW by March 2028 from around 4 GW at the end of March 2026, according to ratings agency ICRA. The planned expansion is expected to involve investments of Rs. 130 bn over the next two years.

The additional capacity could generate annual savings of Rs. 62 bn to Rs. 67 bn, resulting in an estimated payback period of 1.8 to 2.2 years. Cement is an emission-intensive industry, and leading producers have established net-zero roadmaps covering the next 15 to 20 years.

The calcination process accounts for 57 to 60 per cent of the sector’s total emissions, while fuel combustion contributes 27 to 30 per cent and electricity consumption accounts for 10 to 13 per cent. ICRA said the figures highlighted the need for a broad decarbonisation strategy involving green power, blended cement, alternative fuels and improvements in clinker efficiency.

Green energy is considered one of the most commercially attractive decarbonisation options because it can reduce emissions while lowering operating costs. Every 5 per cent increase in green power replacement can reduce power and fuel costs by Rs. 15 to Rs. 16 per tonne. A 25 per cent replacement level could therefore save Rs. 75 to Rs. 80 per tonne and expand operating margins by 140 to 160 basis points.

Cement producers are also assessing carbon capture, utilisation and storage, although high implementation costs, energy requirements and limited transport and storage infrastructure are expected to slow commercial adoption. The government has proposed Rs. 200 bn over five years to support deployment across key sectors. Meanwhile, companies are targeting thermal substitution rates of 10 to 15 per cent over the next three to five years, compared with the current industry level of around 6 per cent.