PV module manufacturer IB Solar has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with German PV manufacturing equipment companies centrotherm and RENA Technologies to develop a 2GW TOPCon cell manufacturing line at its facility in India.
Confirming the agreement with PV Tech, a RENA Technologies spokesperson said the MoU establishes a framework for developing the 2GW TOPCon solar cell production line, with centrotherm leading the proposed consortium and German-origin production equipment supplied by centrotherm and RENA.
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Cooperation may include equipment installation, commissioning, process integration and production ramp-up, while detailed supply scopes and commercial terms will be negotiated through subsequent agreements.
Separately, IB Solar has signed an agreement involving centrotherm, RENA and German solar research institute ISC Konstanz to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) region of Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
The proposed centre will focus on research and development (R&D), technology development, innovation and skill development. Further discussions may establish an R&D Centre of Excellence linking industrial production with European research, with potential Indian government funding.
The collaboration aims to support joint research, technology development and knowledge exchange, with a focus on improving manufacturing processes, enhancing product efficiency and developing advanced solar technologies.
The broader partnership has received support from the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), Germany’s solar trade body BSW and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, which helped facilitate the collaboration.
The Indian manufacturer also invested INR30 billion (US$340 million) in a 4GW tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cell and module manufacturing plant in Greater Noida last year.
IB received land approval for 25 acres of land, near Noida International Airport along the Yamuna Expressway from YEIDA. The plant is expected to be commissioned by 2027.
India is emerging as a key market for European PV companies seeking to expand their presence in the renewable energy sector, particularly in solar manufacturing, technology development and supply chain expansion. European companies are increasingly exploring partnerships with Indian manufacturers as the country scales up its domestic solar manufacturing capacity.
PV Tech Premium spoke to Yana Hryshko, managing consultant, head of solar supply chain research at Wood Mackenzie and Charith Konda, energy specialist, India Mobility and New Energy at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), about the growing interest of European companies in India’s renewable energy market and the opportunities for Indo-European collaboration in the solar sector [subscription required].
The growing engagement is reflected in recent developments. In June, RENA, centrotherm, ISC Konstanz and others were part of a European industrial consortium that announced an equipment supply deal for a 6GW TOPCon production line for Indian PV manufacturer Emmvee, further highlighting the growing industrial links between European technology providers and India’s solar manufacturing sector.
