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The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) said there is a need to prioritise solar PV manufacturing value chain in India as a strategic industry. This will ensure energy security, forex savings and employment.
This would also help India achieve its solar targets and the government vision of ‘Make in India’.
In its policy paper ‘Solar PV Manufacturing in India: Silicon Ingot & Wafer - PV Cell - PV Module’, TERI has recommended the development of 15 GW full value chain solar manufacturing capacity in India by 2024.
It has said that this should be done in a phased manner — Phased Manufacturing Programme — under the ‘Make in India’ plan. In the first phase, about 15 GW capacity could be targeted over a period of two to three years for manufacturing of cells and modules with full value addition and with an overlapping backward integration plan.
Ajay Mathur, Director General, TERI, said that the challenge is to match demand and indigenous manufacturing capacity with international manufacturing capacity. He added that it was possible to have an indigenous solar manufacturing facility, that delivers on the three points of reliable energy access, cost of supply and local manufacturing, that can meet demand.
Develop capacity
Ajay Shankar, Distinguished Fellow, TERI, said, “The government should invite bids for manufacturing of solar panels with full value addition in India, along with ensured sales for four years. It should also provide land, power supply and environmental clearance and develop solar manufacturing plants along the lines of SEZ.”
Shekhar Dutt, Director General, Solar Power Developers Association (SPDA), said that India should develop manufacturing capacity not just for the domestic market, but for terawatt market. He added that this will lead to enormous possibility of generating employment in India.
Highlighting that this is a good starting point, Mathur added, “Further steps of inviting a group of financial experts to assess the costs and incentives (for solar manufacturing) need to be carried out.”
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