Indian crystal-growth equipment manufacturer Raana Semiconductors is targeting the launch of a commercial-grade 12-inch Czochralski (CZ) ingot growth machine within the next ten to 12 months, with the company aiming to sell to India’s solar cell and module manufacturers
The Hosur, Tamil Nadu-based company said its machines could support around 10GW of solar cell production capacity over the next three years as Indian manufacturers increasingly look to move upstream into ingot and wafer production.
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Raana is also establishing a 40,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Hosur to support the 12-inch machine programme. The company said its existing CZ equipment has approximately 70% local content, with further localisation planned at the new facility.
“We are hoping to manufacture and supply a capacity of machines that can support cell production of roughly 10GW in the next three years,” said Rajasekar Elavarasan, founder and CEO, Raana Semiconductors.
“Indian cell and module makers are investing in ingot and wafer capacity, and they need equipment partners who can deliver, service and upgrade machines locally. Our 12-inch CZ platform is built for exactly that.”
The CZ process is widely used to produce monocrystalline silicon ingots, which are subsequently sliced into wafers for solar cells and semiconductor applications. According to Raana, China currently accounts for more than 90% of the CZ machines supplied to the solar industry.
The planned machine comes as Indian solar manufacturers expand into upstream manufacturing to reduce reliance on imported wafers.
“The 12-inch platform is the culmination of over a decade of building CZ systems for some of India’s most demanding customers in defence, atomic energy and national laboratories,” said Avinash Kumar, head of technology, Raana Semiconductors.
“Scaling from 6-inch to 12-inch ingots at solargrade throughput demands upgraded hot-zone, controls, electrical and mechanical design to ensure defect free 12-inch mono-crystalline silicon ingot growth. Our engineering team has designed the machine ground-up for high-yield, low-oxygen monocrystalline growth, and we are now moving into qualification with early customers.”
India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has proposed adding solar ingots and wafers to the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) from 1 June 2028. If implemented, the measure could further encourage domestic investment in ingot and wafer manufacturing.
Raana said it is currently seeking to secure an order for approximately 2GW of machine capacity from a major Indian solar manufacturer. Based on orders of this type, the company is targeting revenue of around INR3 billion (US$34 million) by FY2028.
The company currently has more than 40 CZ machines deployed in India, covering 2-, 4- and 6-inch formats. These systems are being used by customers in defence, atomic energy and national laboratories, as well as for the production of specialty materials including lithium niobate and germanium.
The company said it intends to supply CZ equipment to GW-scale solar manufacturers over the next few years and, further down the line, supply semiconductor wafers to semiconductor fabs within the next four to five years.
