Bhatti invites Japanese firms to set up fuel cell units in TG

Hyderabad: State Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has invited Japanese companies to set up fuel cell industries in Telangana.

As part of his three-day visit to Japan, Bhatti led an official delegation and visited Toshiba’s headquarters, where he discussed the setup of fuel cell divisions.

Toshiba’s senior executives, including Hiroshi Kaneta from Energy Systems and Solutions and Vice President Shige Rizo Kawahara, explained Toshiba's products and services through a PowerPoint presentation. Though primarily an electronics production company, Toshiba is now a leader in environmentally friendly solar products. They provided details about their work in manufacturing photovoltaic modules for solar power, fuel cells, battery energy storage technology, powerful generators, and zero-carbon emission technologies.

Bhatti Vikramarka emphasised that Telangana is planning to install large-scale solar plants, which will require a significant quantity of photovoltaic modules. He also noted that fuel cell technology will have increased usage in "Future City" projects, encouraging Toshiba to set up relevant units in the State through joint partnerships. He added that Telangana needs modern generators, energy-saving and storage products, electric vehicle batteries, and related services, urging Toshiba to take advantage of these opportunities and invest in the State. He stated that the government is determined to make Telangana an electronics hub, with green electric vehicles leading in "Future City."

He also mentioned that all RTC buses in the State are expected to be converted to electric vehicles soon, and Toshiba’s services will be essential in this transition. Additionally, Singareni, as part of its business expansion, is planning to move into mining other minerals such as lithium, and since Toshiba is a leader in lithium battery production, collaboration between Singareni and Toshiba could be beneficial.

Visit to Toshiba’s production centre

The Minister also said that Japan's public transportation system is a global model. Travelling from Tokyo to Osaka via the bullet train, the delegation covered the 700-kilometre distance in just two hours and 20 minutes. He 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 Department.