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Following a change of ownership and a change of name, there has been a change of strategy at Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd.
The company was for over a quarter century called Tata BP Solar. A few months back, Tata Power bought out British Petroleum’s stake in the joint venture and consequent upon that the company’s name changed, and is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Ltd.
“The focus has changed from a manufacturing modules to providing solutions,” Ajay Goel, the newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer of Tata Power Solar, said today.
In a chat with Business Line here on the sidelines of Solarcon 2012, which is an exhibition-cum-conference event of the solar industry, Goel said that Tata Power Solar was committed to providing cheap solar energy to Indians.
In its previous avatar as Tata BP Solar Ltd, the company was a manufacturer of solar modules. But two types of solar imports put the company (and many other Indian module manufacturers) out of sales—cheap crystalline silicon modules from the Chinese manufacturers (who have been obliged by the European market meltdown to liquidate inventories) and thin film modules from the American manufacturers (who are backed by low cost financing by the US Exim Bank.)
Now, in its re-incarnated form Tata Power Solar, has changed tack. Will the company now stop manufacturing now? Asked this, Goel, without giving a direct reply, said that the company was evaluating some options about which he could not talk now. However, he said that manufacturing would happen only if it fit in with the strategy of provision of low cost solar electricity.
Last year, Tata BP Solar sold solar modules worth around Rs 1,000 crore. The company has provided panels for applications such as street lighting and solar lamps.
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