BS reported that Astonfield Renewable Resources Limited will invest close to USD 1.5 billion over the next 2 years in India in various renewable energy projects. It will also invest an additional USD 500 million in telecom infrastructure business in India.

Astonfield is also about to close on the allotment for a 36 MW municipal solid waste to energy plant in Dhapa in West Bengal, a project that the company has been working on since October 2007.

Last week, Astonfield bought its first plot of land in Bankura, a total of 26 acres that is slated to house a five megawatt solar PV plant, which Astonfield plans to start building later this year.

Mr Sourabh Sen director of Astonfield said that "We have also submitted our proposal to be a part of the 30 MW solar park that the government has sanctioned in Purulia. Several companies together would execute it and Astonfield would want to take up a 15 MW project there."

Mr Sen said that "Our next stop is Bihar and we are already talking to the government. We plan to take up a 100 MW biomass project in Bihar as well as solar and solid waste to power projects."

In 2007, Astonfield received allotments for 10 MW of biomass, 5 MW of solar PV, and 1 MW of manure to power to be executed in Gangarampur, Bankura, and Kalyani respectively.