India adds 11.3 GW solar capacity in 1H 2024; solar imports up 338%

09 Oct 2024 CW Team

India witnessed significant growth in its solar module and cell manufacturing sectors during the first half of 2024, driven by increasing demand and upcoming solar projects. The *State of Solar PV Manufacturing in India 1H 2024* report stated that the country added 11.3 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity and 2 GW of solar cell capacity during this period. It also highlighted that India’s solar project pipeline for 2024-2026 stood at 132.7 GW, largely supported by the reimplementation of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) in April 2024.

By June 2024, the nation’s cumulative solar module manufacturing capacity had reached 77.2 GW, while solar cell capacity stood at 7.6 GW. Of the module capacity, 51 GW had received ALMM certification. The market was largely controlled by the top 10 manufacturers, who contributed 58% of the total module production and 100% of the cell production.

The report also indicated that over 57% of the installed module manufacturing capacity was designed to produce modules using M10 and G12 wafer sizes. Monocrystalline Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (mono PERC) technology dominated the production, followed by Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon), polycrystalline, and thin-film modules.

Looking ahead, India’s solar module manufacturing capacity is projected to soar to 172 GW, and solar cell capacity is expected to reach nearly 80 GW by 2026. However, Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group, cautioned that despite the capacity expansions, the slower growth of solar cell production could lead to supply constraints, potentially delaying projects and keeping prices high.

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