Tata Power starts commercial production of solar cells at 4.3GW facility

Tata Power Solar has announced the start of commercial production from the 2GW solar cell line at its manufacturing facility in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India.

The facility, which was commissioned in October 2023, has a total cell and module manufacturing capacity of 4.3GW and has produced 1250MW of solar modules to date.

Tata Power Solar plans to increase production with the remaining 2GW over the next 4-6 weeks, reaching peak production within the next few months.

Dr Praveer Sinha, CEO and MD of Tata Power, commented in a release: “The commencement of cell production at our Tirunelveli plant is a significant step towards indigenisation in the solar value chain and achieving self-sufficiency...We believe that this plant will lead the way in supporting the country's vision for a Net-Zero carbon future."

The ₹4,300 crore ($512 million) facility is equipped with technology to produce both TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) and Mono Perc (monocrystalline) solar cells.

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Tata Power will use the solar cells and modules to boost the supply chain for its current projects, with the aim of extending distribution to the wider market.

According to Tata Power, the facility's modules are currently on the government's Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), and it expects the solar cells to be added to the ALMM in the near future.

In addition to the Tirunelveli plant, the company also operates a manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka. This facility has a production capacity of 682MW for solar modules and 530MW for solar cells.

Solar power growing in India

The National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) has assessed India’s solar potential at about 748GW and at the end of 2022, the country was positioned 5th in solar PV deployment across the globe.

Solar energy is a growing sector and has taken a central place in India’s National Action Plan as a critical tool to boost rural electrification through decentralised systems, as well to increase energy security through grid-connected power generation capacity.

Tata Power's production facility aims to help meet the growing demand for domestically produced solar components, especially for large-scale capacity-addition projects.

Tata Power is targeting solar rooftop and utility-scale segments, where it holds a 20% market share and aims for further expansion.