Virus impact beyond three months would 'seriously' affect many local PV players given industry's reliance on KSEB's 500MW rooftop programme, KREEPA secretaries tell PV Tech.
India's government has made clear its intentions to cultivate a solar PV manufacturing base at home, but interest from foreign players has yet to be translated into major capacity expansions. PV Tech gathered views from various players - both foreign and domestic - about what steps need to be taken, while at the REI Expo 2018 exhibition in Greater Noida, India.
Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (Mahagenco) has invited expressions of interest (EOI) for setting up a solar manufacturing plant in the Indian state, using any type of cells and modules.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) has reduced the manufacturing component of its tender linking 5GW of solar manufacturing to 10GW of solar deployment to just 3GW.
India’s new power minister R.K. Singh has said that India’s power needs will double in the next 6-7 years, while India is committed to reaching 40% renewables in its energy mix by 2030.
Some of the industry is at loggerheads and many feel local manufacturing must be intrinsic to the 100GW by 2022 solar target, but the value of trade duties is under dispute.
India’s solar manufacturers have said that roughly 2.25GW of module manufacturing capacity that was previously reported as functional is either obsolete or too old to be counted as operational, according to consultancy firm Mercom Capital Group.
India is expected to become a “key pillar” for solar demand growth, while growth from leading nations including China, Japan and possibly the US declines, according to the latest update from consultancy firm Bridge to India.
Indian solar PV manufacturing is beginning to make headway after a significant module capacity increase in the last year. PV Tech caught up with Ivan Saha, president and chief technical officer of India-based manufacturer Vikram Solar for an industry update.
