Longi Solar Approves 1 GW Indian Manufacturing Facility

Longi Solar has confirmed to become the first Chinese company to set up a solar equipment manufacturing facility in India. The news comes just a month after the company said it would invest $300 million in a 5 GW module facility in China.

Longi Solar is working to set up a 1 GW solar PV manufacturing facility in India’s Andhra Pradesh. It will manufacture 500 MW of cells and 500 MW of modules, according to the spokesperson.

The facility is expected to be commissioned by Q1 2019 at the latest and will seek to take advantage of India’s exemption from the recent U.S. solar tariffs, imposed by President Trump last week.

Longi Solar has confirmed to become the first Chinese company to set up a solar equipment manufacturing facility in India. The news comes just a month after the company said it would invest $300 million in a 5 GW module facility in China.

According to the company statement released in media, the new facility, located in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, will manufacture 500 MW of monocrystalline cells and modules, respectively. The first phase will see a Crore 1,700 (around (US$26.7 million) investment.

In 2016, Longi undertook a 500 MW cell and module investment plan. The company will kick off construction during its AP Investment Summit this February, with production beginning by the end of this year, or the beginning of 2019.

Government of India last November announced plans to ramp up the country’s domestic renewable energy manufacturing industry via an auction for facilities totaling 20 GW.

“The local government will support the project by preferential policies relating to power supply, water supply, taxation, waste-water processing, education/training and international certification for a three-year term,” the company was quoted as having said.

They add that Longi will expand production capacity “with a big jump to meet India AD/CVD demand,” as well as expected demand from the U.S., following the recent solar tariffs, from which India is excluded.