German solar PV equipment manufacturer RENA Technologies has signed a supply agreement for solar cell production equipment with Indian manufacturer Emmvee Energy.
The solar cell equipment supply will cover a total capacity of 6GW annual nameplate and will be tailored for TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivated contact) cell technology.
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The order follows completion of a 1.4GW TOPCon cell line for Emmvee involving RENA and other partners who will be involved in the 6GW order, including fellow German equipment supplier centrotherm and research institute ISC Konstanz.
Among the equipment included in the supply agreement are several units each of BatchTex 3 N600, InEtchSide 4+ BSG (Borosilicate Glass removal), InEtchSide 4+ PSG (Phosphosilicate glass removal), BatchEtch 3 N600, and BatchPolyClean 3 N600 for high-volume, high-yield manufacturing environments.
In addition to the production equipment supply, the agreement includes integrated wastewater management systems for each tool, which ensure compliance with stringent environmental standards and support sustainable manufacturing operations.
“This order represents a significant milestone not only for our company but also for the expansion of domestic photovoltaic manufacturing in India,” said RENA CEO, Peter Schneidewind. “By enabling high-efficiency TOPCon cell production at gigawatt scale, we are supporting our long-term customer in building a competitive and sustainable supply chain. This project highlights the strength of our technology portfolio and the trust in European processing expertise.”
The agreement also encompasses long-term on-site and remote service capabilities, 24/7 technical support, customer training programs and a dedicated spare parts package to ensure maximum uptime and operational efficiency, backed by the RENA-owned spare parts warehouse in Chennai, India.
Although RENA and Emmvee have not disclosed for which facility the equipment will be used, it is likely that it will be for the Indian manufacturer’s 6GW solar cell and module assembly plant in the southern state of Karnataka. Last December, Emmvee unveiled that it had started construction at the facility, while it had begun operations at a 2.5GW module assembly plant, also in Karnataka.
News of the 6GW follows the successful ramp-up of Emmvee’s 1.4GW TOPCon cell production line in Bengaluru, Karnataka, by the same German technology partners who have been selected for the new, larger order. Among them are coating technologies specialist centrotherm and ISC Konstanz, which provided process integration and technology transfer services.
With the ramp-up now complete, solar cells produced on it have reached efficiencies of up to 25.4% on M10 wafers.
In a statement on completion of the ramp-up, the partners in the project said the collaboration demonstrates how partnerships between manufacturers, specialised equipment suppliers and independent technology institutes can accelerate the industrial deployment of advanced photovoltaic technologies.
“The successful ramp-up and the subsequent follow-up business demonstrate the value of close cooperation between equipment suppliers and technology experts,” said Helge Haverkamp, CTO of centrotherm. “Together, we have shown that German engineering can deliver outstanding results in highly competitive photovoltaic markets.”
This article was updated from its original version with further details of the 1.4GW TOPCon line.
