Indian Solar Cell Market Expands As Tata Power Adds 2 GW Cell Making To Mix

Indian Solar Cell Market Expands As Tata Power Joins The League

With the successful commissioning of the first 2 GWs of Tata Power’s solar cell manufacturing unit at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, the firm has joined the league of the top cell making firms as well.  

Under Tata Power Solar, which is a cell and module manufacturing company and a subsidiary of Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd. (TPREL). This production line is one of the large single-location solar cell and module plants in India for now. This announcement follows the successful production of solar modules earlier this year at the plant. TP Solar’s Tamil Nadu plant recently also created ripples with the ALMM list when it entered the enlisted list of solar module makers with a capacity of 5.22 GW, making the Tata Power group among the largest solar module manufacturers. Tata Power Group now has around 5.8 GW of enlisted solar module manufacturing capacity and second in the ALMM list after Waaree Energies.

List of India’s leading module manufacturers with their ALMM enlisted capacities. Source: MNRE

Tata Power’s 2 GW capacity is expected to enhance Tata Power’s ability to meet the growing demand for high-quality, and domestically produced solar components, especially for large-scale capacity-addition projects. The plant is expected to ramp up production with the remaining 2 GW capacity to be added over the next 4-6 weeks, reaching peak production within the next few months. Considering it’s own captive requirements for over 3 GW during this year, some of the production might even make it to market if all goes to plan.

Having a total cell and module manufacturing capacity of 4.3 GW, the module production line at the Tirunelveli plant was commissioned in October 2023 and has produced 1250 MW of solar modules till date. The facility is equipped with advanced TOPCon and Mono Perc technology, enabling high-efficiency production of solar cells and modules. TPREL’s investment in this cutting-edge technology aligns with its vision of fostering innovation and self-reliance in the renewable energy sector.

The company has committed nearly Rs 4,300 crore towards the establishment of this facility. The solar cells and modules produced at the Tamil Nadu facility will initially cater to the company’s ongoing projects, further strengthening its supply chain. With an eye on future expansion, Tata Power also plans to explore opportunities for wider market distribution. In addition to the Tirunelveli plant, the Company also operates a manufacturing facility established in 1992 in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

This facility, equipped with cutting-edge technology, has a production capacity of 682 MW for solar modules and 530 MW for solar cells. To date, it has supplied a total of 3.73 GW of solar modules and 2.26 GW of solar cells. Tata Power aims to increase its renewable energy portfolio from 41% to 70% by 2030.