SEMI says India is on the rise in the PV industry

SEMI India has summarized a vision for the Indian solar industry in a white paper called “The Solar PV Landscape in India – An Industry Perspective.”  CEO of Tata BP Solar, K. Subramanya, released the report during a special media briefing.

The paper was developed by the SEMI India PV Advisory Committee and represented by global photovoltaics industry leaders. It includes growth opportunities and details on how India could possibly become a global leader in photovoltaics for years to come, in addition to the current state of the solar market.  The paper notes the country’s energy needs and its energy dependence on fossil fuels.

India, a country which experiences over 300 sunny days annually, has 9 photovoltaic cell manufacturers with close to 20 module manufacturers.  Less dependence on fossil fuels and more on PV manufacturing could promote many socio-economic advantages.

President of SEMI India, Sathya Prasad, commented, "There is a great untapped potential for off grid PV technology deployment in India's many rural areas, based on real needs for lighting and electrification, powering irrigation pumps, providing backup power for the growing network of cell towers, as well as other urban applications. By making available this off-grid source of power, many of the 450 million people in India who now rely on kerosene and other fuels to light their homes could enjoy a significantly higher quality of life.  Effective public policies in support of PV manufacturing and adoption could substantially reduce India's dependence on fossil fuels for power generation, while producing enormous socio-economic benefits like the creation of tens of thousands of jobs across the entire supply chain, from R&D and manufacturing to installation and maintenance."