Sun Shines Bright on Indian Solar Manufacturing

‘Key factor behind India’s success in solar energy manufacturing is cost competitiveness’

Gautam Mohanka, Managing Director, Gautam Solar

Q How is the Indian solar manufacturing industry helping the global market? What are the key factors behind India’s success in solar energy manufacturing?
 
Gautam Mohanka: Indian solar manufacturing is immensely helping the global market as it is playing a crucial role in the growth of the market. In recent years, India has become a major manufacturer of solar modules and the production of solar cells and other components has also picked up pace.
 
The key factors behind India’s success in solar energy manufacturing are cost competitiveness due to economies of scale, low cost of labour and support from the government. Also, the domestic demand is paving the way for the need to increase indigenous manufacturing.
 
Q How have ‘Make in India’ and other government initiatives helped the Indian solar sector achieve the needed recognition? What has been your contribution in this regard?
 
Gautam Mohanka: ‘Make in India’ and other government initiatives have helped the Indian solar sector achieve the needed recognition by providing incentives for domestic manufacturing and reducing regulatory barriers. The objective of the ‘Make in India’ initiative is to increase the share of domestic manufacturing in India’s GDP. For achieving this, the government has implemented several policies and incentives to promote local manufacturing of solar panels, inverters and batteries. One of them is the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, which provides financial incentives to manufacturers for producing high-performance solar panels. Apart from this, under the ‘National Solar Mission’, the government set the aim of 300 GW of solar capacity by 2030. This has created a huge demand for solar energy, which has encouraged local manufacturers to ramp up production to meet this demand.
 
As one of India’s leading solar panel manufacturers, this initiative has also helped us as our sales have increased and we’ve been continuously expanding our manufacturing capacity to meet this growing demand. 
 
Q What are the steps being taken by your company to meet global standards and ensure quality products for domestic as well as international markets?
 
Gautam Mohanka: We have always strived to deliver excellent quality products that meet global standards. To meet global standards and ensure quality products, we are utilizing first-hand topline machines to manufacture solar panels. We are utilising a fully automated setup and stringent quality control processes to ensure that high-quality solar panels are produced with no defects. As a company based on a strong R&D unit, we have multiple patents and design registrations. Our panels are BIS Certified and enlisted in the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). Our Panels are IEC & UL Certified for export to international markets. We’re planning to launch n-type TOPCon Solar Panels at InterSolar Europe in Munich, Germany. Apart from that, we’re planning to introduce All-Black Solar Panels for the European Market which comply with the mandate of solar panels with an area less than 2m2. Additionally, for the US market, we’ll be selling Solar Panels manufactured without Chinese Cells to comply with Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act. We partner with industry-leading suppliers of raw materials to ensure high quality.
 
Q How can the PLI scheme boost the manufacturing landscape and establish India to meet the global solar demand?
 
Gautam Mohanka: The PLI Scheme provides financial incentives to manufacturers in various sectors, including the solar sector. It is designed to boost domestic manufacturing and increase the competitiveness of Indian players in the global market.
 
Under the PLI Scheme, financial incentives are provided to manufacturers of PV modules based on their production capacity, product quality matching certain minimum standards, and the level of vertical integration they bring from MG Silica to the final photovoltaic module.
This scheme can boost the solar manufacturing landscape in India by increasing production capacity, encouraging investment both domestic and foreign and enhancing the competitiveness of local players in the global market.
 
Q With India climbing the ladder in the solar industry, what can we expect from your company in the near future?
 
Gautam Mohanka: As a Top 10 Indian solar panel manufacturer in the solar industry, our growth is in tandem with the country’s growth as a leader in the global solar market. Specifically, we are working to expand our annual solar module manufacturing capacity from the present 500 MW to 1 GW by the next 6 months. Also, we are looking to export our panels to international markets and incorporate novel and innovative technologies like TOPCon in the immediate future.
 
Q According to a joint report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research and Analytics, India has the potential to become the world’s second-largest solar manufacturer by 2026. What are your views on it?
 
Gautam Mohanka: Certainly, I believe that India has the potential to become the world’s second-largest solar manufacturer by 2026. The government’s incentives include the establishment of special economic zones, increasing investment in research and development and a large workforce, India has all the right ingredients to fulfill its solar potential. There are certain challenges like the availability of raw materials and access to finance which need to be addressed to achieve our solar manufacturing targets.
 
Q Where according to you does India stand in the global RE scenario? What gives us an edge and what more needs to be done?
 
Gautam Mohanka: India has made significant strides and become the world’s third-largest renewable energy market after the United States of America and China. In fact, India has emerged as a strong contender to replace China as the world’s hub for solar manufacturing due to concerns about it abusing its powers.
 
Factors that give us an edge in the global RE scenario are our strong policy and regulatory framework, a large skilled workforce and a growing number of entrepreneurs bringing fresh, innovative ideas, technologies and business models into the RE space. 
 
In terms of more that needs to be done, greater investment in research and development to drive cost reductions and in machines and other infrastructure through the availability of finance with favorable conditions for manufacturers are important steps that need to be taken if India is to surpass China in the solar manufacturing race.

‘India’s emergence as a leader in solar manufacturing is a testament to its commitment to renewable  energy’

Gyanesh Chaudhary, CMD, Vikram Solar

Q How is the Indian solar manufacturing industry helping the global market? What are the key factors behind India’s success in solar energy manufacturing?
Gyanesh Chaudhary: The government, under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has accelerated the transition to clean energy with solar adoption. This is evident from-

• The achievement of the COP21 target of 40% renewables nine years ahead of the 2030 target;
• India highlighting the need for developed countries to assist developing countries in building green energy infrastructure in COP27;
• Country’s leadership in International Solar Alliance;
• Keeping solar at the forefront to lead this transformation in India’s renewable landscape inspires the world and promotes green energy adoption.

India ranking 5^th globally in terms of solar power deployment and claiming its position as amongst the lowest cost producer of solar energy, sends a positive message of adopting green energy and shows a clear path towards growth.

India’s renewable energy growth story is very inspiring. Since the last decade, India is focusing on green energy transition while aggressively turning away from fossil fuel driven energy, determines a brighter future for renewables, especially solar.

Standing with an impressive 66 GW of installed solar capacity and expectations of record toppling 20 GW new capacity installation in 2023, the green energy deployment targets are witnessing an incredible rise. Focus towards Net-Zero emission target by 2070, enhancing renewable energy target to 500 GW by 2030, developing green hydrogen industry, and policy support - all are aiding Indian solar industry to become the primary energy source for the country.

India has undoubtedly emerged as a global leader in solar manufacturing over the past decade, taking decisive steps to increase its capacity and prowess in the sector. The government’s commitment to renewable energy, favourable policies and the growing market for solar power are some of the key factors contributing to this success. To meet the growing demand for solar, India has invested heavily in developing its domestic solar manufacturing capabilities with policies and incentives to encourage investment in the sector. Furthermore, development of new technologies has significantly contributed in improving the efficiency and performance of solar products. India’s large pool of skilled workforce has played a major role in driving innovation and efficiency in solar energy manufacturing.

India’s emergence as a global leader in solar manufacturing is a testament to the country’s commitment to renewable energy and its ability to innovate and adapt to changing market conditions. With the government’s continued support and investment in the sector, India is well poised to play a key role in the global energy transition in the days to come.

Q How has the ‘Make in India’ and other government initiatives helped the Indian solar sector achieve the needed recognition? What has been your contribution in this regard?

Gyanesh Chaudhary: As India’s green energy sector moves forward in incredible strides, the reforms undertaken in this sector has paved the path towards a clean energy future. India’s total installed capacity from renewable sources has doubled in the last five years.

The government’s focused policy initiatives to strengthen India’s RE manufacturing sector, boosting the domestic solar eco-system and reducing India’s import dependence, have accelerated the clean energy transition. 

Make in India, Production linked incentive (PLI), Approved list of models and manufacturers (ALMM) and Basic Customs Duty (BCD) support allocation has helped the domestic manufacturers and the industry by offering financial support for growth and encouragement to produce high efficiency products.

These policies have encouraged domestic manufacturing, presented financial support, created and secured demand, created a level playing field in the domestic market, brought investments, created new jobs, and opened a path for exports.

Indian solar industry is expected to have more than 95 GW PV manufacturing capacity by the end of calendar year 2025 (Source: Mercom),cell production expected to reach 18 GW by the end of 2023 (Source: JMK research) and India is expected to account for 13%-14% of the global primary energy consumption in 2050 (Source: BP energy outlook).

However, we still need to install 25 – 30 GW/year of solar energy in the next 7 years to realise our 280 GW of solar target.

To fully realize solar potential and speed up energy transition, India needs to focus more on creating a manufacturing eco-system, improving polysilicon and wafers local manufacturing capacity and investing in upgrading infrastructure. PLI promoting ancillary industry (back-sheet, aluminium frame and other components) by supporting MSME sector can further enable solar manufacturing ecosystem. More focus on R&D can help in evolve solar technology in India, thus introducing more efficient solar products- saving space for plant installation, saving money by reducing number of modules needed, increasing energy generation, increasing durability of the modules. 

Vikram Solar is globally recognized as one of the leading solar module manufacturer and comprehensive solar solutions provider with 3.5 GW manufacturing capacity having garnered a strong foothold with exports across 32 countries within the last decade. We specialize in high efficiency photovoltaic (PV) module manufacturing, comprehensive EPC and O&M.

We have two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities located in Falta, West Bengal (2.2 GW capacity) and a solar module manufacturing located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (1.3 GW capacity).

We have gained recognition as a Tier 1 Module manufacturing company in India by BloombergNEF (2014) and we are the only manufacturer with capacity greater than 1.5 GW having presence in East and Southern part of India. Vikram Solar has more than 300 EPC projects with an aggregate capacity of 1.42 GW (executed + under execution).

Q What are the steps being taken by your company to meet the global standards and ensure quality products for domestic as well as international markets?

Gyanesh Chaudhary: The company’s R&D efforts are focused on increasing operational and financial efficiency to achieve lower LCOE. We currently manufacture solar PV modules using polycrystalline and monocrystalline cell technology of 330W and 660W. We are focusing to upgrade the entire capacity with M10 and G12 cell technology production that provides higher wattage per solar PV module.

Upholding our commitment of consistent innovation, we are working to develop 660Wp module (G12) prototype, which is currently under third party lab testing. We are also working on developing solar PV modules with 23.30% efficiency modules PERC, Bifacial amongst other technologies.

Recently, Vikram Solar received the coveted ISO 17025 Accreditation for the R&D laboratory by the prestigious National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to test the performance and reliability of high efficiency solar PV modules. The accreditation process for the laboratory at Faltainvolved a detailed quality system assessment based on domestic and international standards.

Vikram Solarwas the only solar module manufacturing company to be ranked in India’s fastest-growing mid-sized companies in Fortune India’s Next 500 list 2023.

Q How can PLI scheme boost manufacturing landscape and establish India to meet the global solar demand?

Gyanesh Chaudhary: Indian solar industry is aggressively moving towards building a solar manufacturing hub, thus making the country energy independent and opening up new avenues of revenue generation, job creation and technological growth.

In 2021, the government approved PLI schemes for solar modules and other goods, with a five-year cumulative budget outlay of INR 107.38 billion. With 80-90% of solar modules being imported mainly from China (accounting $3.2 bn forex outflow in FY 21-22), the PLI scheme was a great step to reduce import dependency.

Success of PLI Tranche 1 led to announcement of Tranche 2 with increased budget. The total domestic solar PV module manufacturing capacity allocated under the 2 tranches of PLI Scheme is 48,337 MW, with a cumulative support of more than INR 18,500 crore by the Government.

Standing with 39 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity, The PLI Tranche 2 support is expected to help India gain an additional of 48 GW domestic module manufacturing capacity within next 3 years. This capacity addition will greatly boost India’s installed solar energy capacity (currently 63 GW), inching the country towards realizing Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision and energy independence.

PLI scheme has really helped India in moving towards controlling the entire supply chain. With this scheme, manufacturing capacity totalling 7400 MW is expected to become operational by October 2024, 16,800 MW capacity by April 2025 and the balance 15,400 MW capacity by April 2026. The Tranche 2 is also expected to bring investment of INR 93,041 crore and generate 1,01,487 jobs in the country. Additionally, PLI promoting ancillary industry by supporting MSME sector can further enable solar manufacturing ecosystem.
 
Q With India climbing the ladder in the solar industry, what can we expect from your company in the near future?

Gyanesh Chaudhary: We are currently working on developing solar PV modules with higher efficiencies using cell types such as n-type monocrystalline cell with Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCON) cell. TOPCON is a further higher efficiency technology, which is naturally bifacial and superior in performance to the existing technologies. We have also collaborated with manufacturers of solar technology and institutes to conduct research study programmes. 
 
Throughout the years, we have introduced smart module, Perc, Bifacial, M6 and M10 cell modules in the market to aid in faster realisation of National net zero and clean energy program. We have consistently increased our manufacturing capacity and have plans to 7.9 GW of manufacturing capacity shortly.  

To continue to deliver reliable and updated solar solutions to our customers, we are embracing new technologies. Our R&D team has leveraged digitization initiatives that allow seamless processes, such as implementation of six-sigma methods, lean manufacturing, reducing and regulating wastage. We are focusing on converging digital technologies with manufacturing operations. We have equipped our facility at Falta with digital production display board and AI-enabled image analytics.
 
Q According to a joint report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research and Analytics, India has the potential to become world’s second-largest solar manufacturer by 2026. What are your views on it?
 
Gyanesh Chaudhary: The industry needs to address certain challengesto maintain the growth trajectory. One of the biggest hurdles is the over-reliance on Chinese imports for upstream components of PV modules. The industry needs more focus on developing a manufacturing eco-system.
 
Furthermore, the PLI scheme needs to be augmented to include more upstream components, PV equipment machinery, and ancillary components for holistic development of the industry. The government can also look at a scheme providing upfront subsidies for setting up manufacturing units, which will be especially beneficial for smaller manufacturers with limited capital.
 
Overall, India has a great potential to become the second-largest solar manufacturer in the world. With consistent policy support, realization of this target is very much possible.
 
Q Where according to you does India stand in the global RE scenario? What gives us an edge and what more needs to be done?
 
Gyanesh Chaudhary: India is emerging as a major player in the global renewable energy scenario, particularly in the solar space. The country has set ambitious targets to increase its renewable energy capacity, with a goal of achieving 450 GW by 2030. India's total installed renewable energy capacity touched 170 GW mark in 2023, out of which 66 GW is solar power capacity, accounting for the largest share.
 
India has a favourable policy environment, a large and growing domestic market for renewable energy, and a significant manufacturing capacity for solar PV modules. The Indian government's policy initiatives such as PLI, BCD, and ALMM have been instrumental in boosting the country's renewable energy sector.
 
However, there are still several challenges that need to be addressed such as upgrading the transmission infrastructure, making finances available, and curbing delays in project awarding. India also needs to diversify its renewable energy portfolio and accelerate the adoption of other technologies such as wind, hydropower, and energy storage. Additionally, the country needs to focus on sustainable and equitable deployment of renewable energy, particularly in rural and remote areas.

‘India’s PLI scheme offers manufacturers support in different ways’

Chirag Nakrani, Director, Rayzon Solar

Q How is the Indian solar manufacturing industry helping the global market? What are the key factors behind India’s success in solar energy manufacturing?
 
Chirag Nakrani: India has become a global leader in solar energy manufacturing over the past decade due to the government's commitment to renewable energy, a favourable policy environment, and a growing market for solar power. This growth has boosted the economy and promoted the use of renewable energy sources, leading India to occupy space as a major contributor to the solar industry in the global market.
 
India has become a prime location for an industry that could catapult it into achieving its international climate change goal. The government has put policies in place to promote the expansion of the solar industry globally, offering grants and tax breaks for solar power projects, and fostering a supportive regulatory environment. India has a significant and rising energy demand due to its rapidly expanding population and urbanisation, which can be satisfied in part by solar energy, which has generated a sizable market for solar products. 
 
    
Q How have ‘Make in India’ and other government initiatives helped the Indian solar sector achieve the needed recognition? What has been your contribution in this regard?
 
Chirag Nakarni: The ‘Make in India’ scheme has had a significant impact on the renewable energy sector in India, with FDI increasing significantly and international collaborations at an all-time high. The PLI scheme, policies, and schemes to encourage manufacturing and research in renewable energy and skill development have been implemented to create capacity and increase domestic manufacturing and production. The Suryamitra skill development program has trained many candidates, as PV technicians for installation, operation, and maintenance of solar power projects with 90 percent reporting improvement in technical skills. Due to Make in India, the domestic content requirement policy creates a high demand for Indigenous raw materials for modules & in the last few years we have seen rapid growth in these raw materials like EVA, Back Sheet and Aluminium Frames & JB. Made in India, ALMM & government’s other firm & favourable solar policies give confidence to Rayzon to expand its manufacturing capacity from 40MW to 1.5GW in a short span of 5 years. 
 
Q What are the steps being taken by your company to meet global standards and ensure quality products for domestic as well as international markets?
 
Chirag Nakrani: Meeting international standards and ensuring quality is essential for long-term sales growth, customer trust, and profitability. Rayzon modules are meeting IMS, IEC, and BIS standards which are globally acknowledged. Adopting the latest technology & fully automated module manufacturing lines. Already listed in PV ModuleTech Bankability Rating. To make the products more reliable we are in the process to qualify triple IEC. We are working with reputed international test labs & rating agencies to keep our products ahead of our peers. To meet the global standard our company adheres to global benchmark standards by conducting stringent raw material, in-process, final product testing & incorporate best industry practices into manufacturing processes, making quality a part of our company culture. We have our R & D team & in-house testing laboratory to conduct reliability tests of modules as well as of incoming materials. In the coming months, our lab will be NABL accredited. This will give confidence to the customer in product quality, and reliability and improve our business credibility and reputation.
 
 
Q How can the PLI scheme boost the manufacturing landscape and establish India to meet the global solar demand?
 
Chirag Nakrani: India’s PLI scheme offers manufacturers support in different ways, with the PLI subsidy closing nearly 80 percent of the investment cost gap between India and the lowest-cost manufacturers in China. However, manufacturing efficiencies will need to be achieved through economies of scale to maintain long-term competitiveness. It will make India self-sufficient in meeting the Solar PV infrastructure demand. 
 
Q With India climbing the ladder in the solar industry, what can we expect from your company in the near future?
 
Chirag Nakrani: Rayzon Solar is going to increase the manufacturing capacity from 1500MW to 2500 MW in India in response to the growing need for more solar energy generation. The 1000 MW capacity in India will shortly be increased to a total capacity of 2500 MW and start 500 MW of production in a technology-savvy nation like America. Rayzon Solar is always up-to-date with its technology and innovation, in the near future, we are going to introduce N-Type solar modules and Topcon solar modules up to 700Wp, which deliver both efficiency and stability.
 
Q According to a joint report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research and Analytics, India has the potential to become the world’s second-largest solar manufacturer by 2026. What are your views on it?
 
Chirag Nakrani: Indeed, India has said potential, production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme is a catalyst for PV manufacturing in India, and the government has taken steps to increase demand for locally made solar PV modules. the government should consider the additional aspects of manufacturers in the Approved List of Module Manufacturers (ALMM) and provide upfront subsidies for setting up manufacturing units.
 
Q Where according to you does India stand in the global RE scenario? What gives us an edge and what more needs to be done?
 
Chirag Nakrani: India is the world's third largest producer of renewable energy, with 40 percent of its installed electricity capacity coming from non-fossil fuel sources. India's solar energy sector provides a huge opportunity for growth. Solar energy is expected to continue to grow in importance over the next decade due to cost reductions, increased adoption in developing countries, increased role in transportation, continued innovation, and increased policy and regulatory support. Switching to green sources will help to balance the grid integration by flattening the demand curve and enhancing the transmission plan.
 
‘India is poised to meet not only domestic demand but also to increase exports exponentially’

Vinay Thadani, Director, Grew Energy Pvt. Ltd.

Q How is the Indian solar manufacturing industry helping the global market? What are the key factors behind India’s success in solar energy manufacturing?
 
Vinay Thadani: India's solar manufacturing industry is playing an important role in the growth of the solar sector globally. According to a recent report, India's solar module manufacturing capacity was announced to be at 39 GW at the end of September 2022 and is expected to reach 110 GW by fiscal 2026. 
 
India has set a target of net zero carbon emission by 2070 along with a non-fossil fuel energy generation capacity of 500GW by 2030. Being the fourth largest consumer of solar PV modules and other components in the world, India is poised to meet not only the domestic demand but also to increase exports exponentially. 
 
India's strong position in solar energy manufacturing can be attributed to various factors, such as supportive government policies like the PLI scheme, competitive labour costs and growing markets.  
 
Q How have ‘Make in India’ and other government initiatives helped the Indian solar sector achieve the needed recognition? What has been your contribution in this regard?
 
Vinay Thadani: The Government of India has emphasised ‘Green Growth’ in all its plans and has created a conducive ecosystem to support the renewable sector. Its policies, schemes and other initiatives have definitely proved to be beneficial for the manufacturing sector, especially solar. 
 
Recently, under Tranche-II of its Production Linked Incentive Scheme for High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules, the government allocated a total manufacturing capacity of 39,600 MW of domestic Solar PV modules with a total outlay of INR 13,937.575 crore. 
 
From a total of 11 companies selected, Grew Energy Pvt. Ltd. was the only successful bidder from Gujarat under the W+C+M category of the PLI Scheme, Tranche II. Under Basket II, Grew received an allocation of INR 566.71 crore and a manufacturing capacity of 2000 MW.

With this allocation, we have received a tremendous boost to fast-track our plans. By FY25, the company has plans to catalyse a manufacturing capacity of 4 GW PV modules, 3 GW PV cells and an impressive 300 tonnes/day of tempered glass. Initially, its manufacturing will be equipped with its first 2 GW of fully automated units in the state of Rajasthan, while the other manufacturing facilities will branch across India in a phased manner.
 
Q How can the PLI scheme boost the manufacturing landscape and establish India to meet the global solar demand?
 
Vinay Thadani: In September 2022, the Government of India announced new opportunities for the solar industry through the PLI scheme, which involves a total outlay of INR 19,500 crore over five years. It aims to promote the manufacturing of high-efficiency PV modules in India thereby reducing dependence on imports for renewable energy. This scheme will be technology agnostic and will allow various technologies but incentivise those which yield better module performance. Achieving a gigawatt-scale manufacturing capacity for high-efficiency solar modules in the coming years will subsequently reduce dependence on imports and boost the Indian economy. All these steps will cumulatively build a strong domestic solar market and promote international business as well.
 
Q With India climbing the ladder in the solar industry, what can we expect from your company in the near future?
 
Vinay Thadani: The coming three-four years will be very exciting for the Indian solar industry. India’s manufacturing capacity totalling 7400 MW is expected to become operational by October 2024, 16,800 MW capacity by April 2025 and the balance of 15,400 MW capacity by April 2026.  
 
Grew positively intends to become the largest contributor towards domestic as well as international markets. We will be targeting both markets with our indigenous solar components for PV modules through our manufacturing units in Rajasthan and Dholera which will be fully functional in the next 2-3 years.
 
Q According to a joint report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research and Analytics, India has the potential to become the world’s second-largest solar manufacturer by 2026. What are your views on it?
 
Vinay Thadani: India is already the fifth largest economy today and we see tremendous growth across sectors along with the renewable sector. On the front of the solar manufacturing sector, with favourable government policies, increasing awareness among the masses, growing demand for solar & clean energy and a rise in the number of solar modules & components manufacturers, India will move forward with an enviable growth rate. Additionally, the 'China plus One' strategy will also work in our favour and we surely think India can become the world’s second-largest solar manufacturer by 2026.
 
Q Where according to you does India stand in the global RE scenario? What gives us an edge and what more needs to be done?
 
Vinay Thadani: The Indian solar industry is moving ahead full throttle towards achieving its target capacity of 450 GW worth of renewable energy by 2030. Globally, India ranks among the top four countries concerning total installations while surpassing many developed nations like China, the United States, and Germany. India's non-fossil fuel energy has grown by over 25 percent in seven years. 
 
However, there are a few challenges that India needs to pay attention to like dependence on imports, lack of scale as compared to manufacturing hubs like China, high logistics costs and a void in technological advancement. The government, industry players and other stakeholders will need to work together to develop supportive policies, invest in research & development, and address issues such as high production costs and dependence on imports.
 
‘India is definitely dominating the world’s solar market in terms of solar manufacturing’

Vineet Mittal, Director & Co-Founder, Navitas Solar

Q How is the Indian solar manufacturing industry helping the global market? What are the key factors behind India’s success in solar energy manufacturing?
 
Vineet Mittal: Encouraged entrepreneurship, low manufacturing costs, encouragementfrom governments and awareness of technology are the factors helping India to become aglobal leader in the solar industry. “All roads to successful global clean energy transitions go via India”, said IEA. In terms of solar manufacturing, India is definitely dominating the world’s solar market.
 
Q How have ‘Make in India’ and other government initiatives helped the Indian solar sector achieve the needed recognition? What has been your contribution in this regard?
 
Vineet Mittal: Indian government has taken a massive target of installing 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030 out of which 125 GW is already installed including 66 GW of solar. ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’have encouraged domestic solar industry manufacturers.The initiative has encouraged module manufacturers already but in the future, we will have many manufacturers of solar modules’ raw materials likeribbons, junction boxes, glass, encapsulants, framesand cells also.
 
Q What are the steps being taken by your company to meet the global standards and ensure quality products for domestic as well as international markets?
 
Vineet Mittal:We are amongst the few module manufacturing companies in India having backward and forward integration. Backward integration is provided by our subsidiary company called Navitas Alpha Renewables Pvt. Ltd. (NARPL), which manufactures EVA Sheets with a production capacity of 1.5 GW p.a. and expanding to add another 1.5 GW p.a. Navitas Solar has in-house labs to maintain quality of modules due to which we’re benefitted a lot. We also have a technically sound QA & QC team as well as an R&D team that is continuously dedicated to improving the quality.
 
Q With India climbing the ladder in the solar industry, what can we expect from your company in the near future?
 
Vineet Mittal: We are expanding our manufacturing capacity to 1.2 GW p.a with our cumulative capacity of 1.7 GW p.a. We have already purchased land and started construction and we target to start production in the new facility by the end of 2023. The new facility will be able to manufacture M10 and M12 size modules in Mono PERC Half cut and TOPCon both of which we shall exclusively use for exports.
 
Q According to a joint report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) and JMK Research and Analytics, India has the potential to become the world’s second-largest solar manufacturer by 2026. What are your views on it?
 
Vineet Mittal: Yes, definitely. In fact, we can become the world’s largest solar manufacturer also in the upcoming time. We see a bright future forIndian solar manufacturers in the global market. If everything takes place perfectly with time, it’s just a matter of time for India to become a global leader.
 
Q Where according to you does India stand in the global RE scenario? What gives us an edge and what more needs to be done?
 
Vineet Mittal: We are pretty good at adaptingto the changing solar technology and that gives us an opportunity to dominate the global RE industry.We’re still running behind in solar cell manufacturing as it requires much of R&D and we don’t have that infrastructure and technology. We are sure that we’ll be reaching good heights in manufacturing solar cells also in future.

- Energetica India Magazine