First Solar, the US-headquartered company that is putting up its first Indian manufacturing unit at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, has commenced production. 

“We have commenced production and expect to start sales, after getting BIS certification, in November 2023,” the company’s Vice-President and Country Managing Director, Sujoy Ghosh, told businessline today. 

Supported by an allocation of ₹1,170 crore from the Government of India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI-2) scheme, First Solar is investing $684 million in the 3.5 GW plant that will produce ‘thin film’ modules. 

In December 2021, the company had secured a $500 million funding commitment from the US International Development Finance Corporation. (Incidentally, the US IDFC today announced a funding commitment of $425 million to Tata Power Solar’s upcoming cell and module plant, also in Tamil Nadu). 

First Solar is practically the only company in the world to produce thin film modules — where semiconducting materials are coated onto a glass substrate. Its semiconductor material of choice is Cadmium Telluride (CadTel), which, according to Ghosh, “has a proven advantage in hot and humid climates and can be recycled.” 

In an interview with businessline in May, Ghosh had said, “From a technology standpoint, First Solar holds a unique position to manufacture solar PV modules for the Indian market, as they do not depend on the silicon value chain concentrated in China. Our highly differentiated semiconductor technology and vertically integrated manufacturing approach allow us to scale faster and be more cost-competitive compared to the silicon ecosystem.” 

Earlier this year, First Solar, USA, announced an “order backlog of almost 72 gigawatts, extending through 2029.” 

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