Lazy and Corrupt Indian Government needs US Green Groups to fight its solar case with USA

I had earlier written about how India is being made a sucker by the US government which has filed a case against India at the WTO, about domestic content requirements for solar panels. Top US Green Groups think the same thing as they have requested the US trade representative to take back this wholly unjustified trade fight against India. The Indian solar panel manufacturers have been decimated by foreign solar panel producers who have a huge cost and financial advantage over the Indian producers. US solar panel company First Solar (FSLR) has captured a majority of the Indian market taking advantage of a loophole in India’s JNNSM federal solar subsidy program. This allows the free use of thin film solar technology panels in Indian solar power plants without any restriction. FSLR has used the loophole to supply its cheap modules to the Indian power producers, using US Exim Bank financing. Most Indian solar panel makers have either gone bankrupt (Moser Baer) or running their factories at pathetic utilization rates. They have cried themselves hoarse for some protection from the government but that has not helped.

With India’s JNNSM Phase 2 about to start, there was a possibility that the Indian government would take heed. But US government is trying to take preemptive action by filing the WTO case. Most governments protect their domestic industries through the domestic content measure. Italy, France, Canada and even US have laws to boost domestic solar manufacturing. But US has shown the height of hypocrisy by suing India at WTO without changing its “Buy America” laws. The US has also conveniently forgotten the anti-dumping duties it has imposed on imports of Chinese solar panels and cells. The corruption and the lethargic Indian government has done nothing to protect its solar industry. Lets hope some sense dawns on the Indian government and its fights for its manufacturers.

Read more about Solar Power in India.

Which Companies make Solar Panels in India

There are a number of Companies manufacturing Solar Panels in India and the domestic content requirements of JNNSM will give a further impetus to indigenous solar production in India. While upstream solar products like polysilicon and wafers are made outside of India, downstream solar products like cells and modules are made by some companies in India. Note most of the solar panels made in India is done through mainstream crystalline silicon manufacturing while a very small amount of production by Moser Baer is done through Thin Film amorphous Silicon (a-Si) Technology. The costs of the Indian manufacturers are higher than integrated Chinese companies like Trina Solar, LDK which make raw materials in-house. Due to low costs of transportation it might be cheaper for consumers to import solar panels from outside of India.

Read more about Solar Panels in India.

List of Major Solar Panel Companies in India

1) Tata BP Solar – Tata BP Solar is a Joint Venture between Tata Power Company and BP Solar. This Tata Company has one of the biggest and oldest solar panel manufacturing operations in the country. The company’s 84 MW Solar Cell manufacturing facility is capable of processing mono and multi crystalline wafers of 125mm2 and 156mm2. The company’s 125 MW module manufacturing facility is one of the largest in Asia. Their products include customized solar illumination solutions. Tata BP Solar is perhaps the best solar lighting provider in India given the brandname and inhouse manufacturing of solar components.It has a range of Solar Lighting Solutions based on LED and non LED lights. The company has huge plans in wind,solar and geothermal energy

2) Moser Baer – is one of India’s leading technology companies, established in 1983. Moser Baer’s flagship company, Moser Baer India Limited (MBIL) is the world’s second largest manufacturer of optical storage media. Moser Baer Solar Limited is a subsidiary of MBIL. The Group’s photovoltaic manufacturing business was established between 2005 and 2007 with the primary objective of providing solar power as competitive & reliable source of energy. Its products include Multicrystalline cells & modules and Thin Film modules. This is primarily a Solar Panel Production Company which has recently made a big bet to get into the Power Production Space as well. Moser Baer Projects Private in which the Blackstone Group made a $300 million bet  has plans of a 20:80 mix of Green and Dirty Power.

3) Solar Semiconductor – is an international organization that offers  PV solutions, products and services to worldwide markets including the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. It manufactures its own PV modules and cells. Solar Semiconductor currently has a 195 MW manufacturing capacity and various Systems Integration projects around the world. It offers a comprehensive range of products including complete system kits and PV modules for grid connected as well off-grid applications. A Producer of Solar Power Modules and Cells, it renders services in Solar Installation as well. It also has a small capacity to produce silicon based solar cells or solar panels or both.

4) IndoSolar – is the leading Indian manufacturer of solar photovoltaic cells. Its manufacturing capacity is 360 MWp. The company has capacity to produce both multi and mono crystalline cells.

5) Topsun Solar – is one of the leading solar power solution manufacturers in India & International market. The company has vast experience in Renewable specific to SPV technology & solutions. The Company’s strongest areas are solar Telecom power system, KW to MW SPV Power Plant, Village electrification & Home lighting system. Its manufacturing unit is established with latest technology with their own R&D facilities for future development in solar solutions.

6) Titan Energy – is a major competitor in the distributed, renewable, and alternative energy industries and a leader in development and support for new energy-related technology.

7) PLG Power – is a vertically integrated company operating in the PV sector since 2008. The company is a part of a big, well-established Indian Group, PLG Group, which is almost 100 years old company diversified into numerous businesses in Asia and Middle-East.

8) Maharishi Solar – has a vertically Integrated manufacturing facility to produce multi-crystalline silicon ingots, Multi Crystalline wafers, Multi/Mono Solar cells, SPV modules and SPV systems in Andhra Pradesh. Maharishi Solar also designs, engineers and manufactures a wide range of Solar Panels, Solar Water Heaters, Solar Air Conditioning Systems, Swimming Pool Heating etc. for various Residential, Commercial & Industrial projects.

9) Kotak Urja Pvt. Ltd. – is one of the pioneering companies in India dedicated to the promotion of eco-friendly and environmentally safe renewable energy technologies. The company has forayed into solar PV technologies by establishing at that time an advanced PV module manufacturing facility. Over the years, Kotak Urja has developed expertise in Design, Engineering, Manufacturing, Integration & Installation of a broad range of solar thermal & solar photovoltaic systems and aspires to achieve a dominant position in the growing PV market in both India & globally.

10) Photon Energy Systems – established in 1995, is a leading manufacturer of Solar PV Modules, PV Systems and Solar Thermal Systems in India.

Hindu

A dozen-odd eminent American and international organisations have asked the US to reconsider its decision to drag India to WTO over solar energy policy.In a letter to the US Trade Representative (USTR) yesterday, these organisations have said that dragging India to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) related to local content in solar panels would not only undercut New Delhi’s effort to reduce poverty, but was also detrimental to developing a solar energy industry.

The organisations are 350.org, ActionAid USA, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, Center for International Environmental Law, Earth Day Network, EcoEquity, Friends of the Earth US, Global Exchange, Greenpeace USA, Institute for Policy Studies, Global Economy Project and Sierra Club.