Indian independent power producer (IPP) Juniper Green Energy has signed a 1GW module supply deal with US module manufacturer First Solar.
Under the terms of the deal, First Solar will provide its Series 7 FT1 cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film PV modules to Juniper’s projects in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra on the country’s west coast. The supply deal will last for two years, and follows the inauguration of First Solar’s latest manufacturing facility, a 3.5GW factory in the US state of Alabama.
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Modules will be supplied from First Solar’s manufacturing capacity in India, where it inaugurated a 3.3GW facility earlier this year which will provide its Series 7 modules.
“We’re excited to partner with First Solar, as this collaboration is expected to ensure a reliable supply of modules for a vital segment of our development pipeline,” said Juniper CEO Naresh Mansukhani. “Sourcing our modules from First Solar enhances our domestic content strategy while aligning with a trusted partner offering a highly competitive product.”
Juniper noted that the deal would help reduce its reliance on module imports from China by sourcing modules from another country. The company also specified that the First Solar modules feature on the Approved List of Modules and Manufacturers (ALMM), an essential piece of legislation in the Indian solar sector that designates which suppliers a company can source modules from, in order to be eligible for government support for projects.
This week, the ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) updated the legislation to include cells, in addition to modules, as the government looks to build a robust domestic solar supply chain, following in the footsteps of policies such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the US and the Net-Zero Industry Act (NZIA) in Europe. As of June this year, India’s cell manufacturing capacity was just 7.6GW, significantly lower than its module manufacturing capacity of 77.2GW, and the government will look to minimise this discrepancy in the future.
