Fuel-guzzling jet aircraft engines are not usually associated with renewable energy. However, as industries worldwide increasingly shift towards alternative energy sources to power their operations, jet engine manufacturers too have joined this movement.

French aircraft components manufacturer, Safran, which focuses primarily on producing jet engines, is no exception. The company is installing a 2 MW rooftop solar project at its premises at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Jaipur-based renewable energy engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company, Hyper Green Renewable Energy, will be installing the solar panels for Safran.

Safran is installing the solar project to reduce its carbon emissions, lower power costs, and become energy-independent. It chose rooftop solar because it will use the free rooftop space on the company’s premises without requiring additional land. A rooftop system incurs lesser installation and transmission costs than ground-mount projects.

The rooftop solar project is expected to generate 2.8 million units (MU) to 3.2 MU per year and reduce the company’s electricity bill by 30% to 40%. It will power the Hyderabad facility’s operations, including lighting, machinery, support systems, and other general industrial electrical loads.

Hyper Green stated the project will incorporate TOPCon solar cells for higher efficiency and better energy yield, along with string inverters. “These inverters are well-suited for rooftop solar systems as they offer high efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and simplified maintenance.”

The project is expected to be commissioned within six months of the site handover.

Safran has previously installed a 485 kW carport solar project at its Hyderabad facility. In its integrated report 2024, the company said several solar installations have been commissioned to self-supply sites in Belgium, France, Mexico, and the U.S., besides India.

Hyper Green said it is executing 20 MW EPC solar projects with public-sector organizations and manages a 100 MW portfolio of solar operations and maintenance.

In another instance of a company in an energy-intensive industry adopting solar energy, industrial-grade centrifugal fans manufacturer Reitz India installed a 650 kW rooftop solar project at its Isnapur facility in Andhra Pradesh, saving ₹6.7 million (~$76,279) annually in power bills.

Mercom India hosts a multicity ‘C&I Clean Energy Meet’ series designed to provide commercial and industrial energy buyers with the knowledge and tools they need to adopt clean energy solutions and lower their power costs. The next C&I Clean Energy Meet will be held in Nashik on January 9, 2026.