HYDERABAD: Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who also holds the Energy portfolio, invited Japanese industrialists to set up fuel cell divisions in Telangana. As part of his three-day visit to Japan, Vikramarka along with other officials visited the headquarters and factories of Toshiba, an electronics company, on Wednesday.
According to a release, senior executives of Toshiba explained to the Telangana delegation the products and services provided by the firm. Though primarily an electronics production company, Toshiba is now a leader in environmentally friendly solar products, they said, while providing details about their work in manufacturing photovoltaic (PV) modules for solar power, fuel cells, battery energy storage technology, generators and zero-carbon emission technologies.
Vikramarka said the state government was planning to install large-scale solar plants, which would require a large quantity of PV modules. He also noted that fuel cell technology will have increased usage in “Future City” projects, inviting Toshiba to set up similar units in the state through joint partnerships.
The deputy CM added that Telangana needed modern generators, energy-saving and storage products, EV batteries and related services. He urged them to invest in the state. He also mentioned that all TGSRTC buses are expected to be converted to EVs soon and Toshiba’s services will be essential in this transition. Additionally, the SCCL, as part of its business expansion, is planning to move into mining other minerals such as lithium. Since Toshiba is a leader in lithium battery production, a collaboration between SCCL and Toshiba could be beneficial, the deputy CM said.
Later, the delegation visited Toshiba’s fuel cell manufacturing unit, where they inspected the production of turbines and generators used in nuclear and thermal power generation.
TG highly conducive to business: Toshiba
Responding to Vikramarka’s invitation, Toshiba officials said they have established their units in only three Indian states, with Telangana being a prominent one. They noted that Telangana is highly conducive to industrial establishment and business expansion and expressed a positive outlook on expanding their operations in the state, either independently or in joint partnership with the state government, the release said, adding that they also mentioned plans to increase their current EV vehicle production capacity and expand their plant.
Later, Vikramarka and the officials boarded a bullet train for a 700-km journey to Osaka, where they plan to visit Panasonic’s HQ and industries. The deputy CM remarked on the comfort and excellent facilities of the train, and expressed his desire to develop a similar transport system in Telangana, adding that he would be proposing this to the Railway ministry.