Waaree commissions 5.4GW cell manufacturing facility in India

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
A Waaree manufacturing facility.
The new Waaree facility will produce PERC and TOPCon cells. Image: Waaree.

India cell and module manufacturer Waaree Energies has commissioned a 5.4GW cell manufacturing facility in Gujarat, the largest cell manufacturing facility in India.

Waaree has commissioned the Chikli facility in two phases, covering passivated emitter rear contact (PERC) and tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) technology. The company brought 1.4GW of mono-PERC capacity online in January of this year, and in February CEO Amit Paithankar noted that the remaining 4GW of capacity would cover TOPCon cells.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

“We are not merely producing energy; we are generating a new narrative of national pride, where indigenous innovation becomes our most powerful export,” said Waaree chairman and managing director Hitesh Doshi, highlighting India’s recent push towards greater domestic manufacturing of solar products.

Figures from Mercom India show that India added 11.3GW of new module capacity, alongside 2GW of new cell capacity, in the first half of 2024, and cell capacity in particular is expected to increase exponentially in the coming years. As of June 2024, India had just 7.6GW of cell capacity in operation, but Mercom India expects this figure to reach 80GW by the end of next year, as India looks to reduce its reliance on products, particularly cells and wafers, produced in and exported from China.

Renewable energy minister Pralhad Joshi said that the facility “stands as a tribute to India’s growing prowess in the global renewable energy landscape” at a ceremony to mark the launch of operations at the Chikli facility. Joshi’s comments come weeks after his ministry specified that the use of imported wafers would disqualify cells otherwise made using domestically-produced components from being considered ‘domestically produced’ and eligible for subsidies under the Approved List of Module Manufacturers (ALMM).

US module expansion

The news also follows the commissioning of a 1.6GW solar module manufacturing facility in Texas in January. Much like in India, the US has seen a greater emphasis on domestic clean energy manufacturing in recent years, from the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) under former president Joe Biden to escalating tariffs imposed on Chinese goods by current president Donald Trump.

Waaree has not specified whether it plans to use its new cells in US- or India-based module manufacturing, but the company commitment to new manufacturing capacity in two countries with significant emphasis on domestic production is notable. PV Tech has reached out to Waaree for comments.

Read Next

September 16, 2025
IB Solar is investing INR30 billion (US$340 million) in a 4GW TOPCon solar cell and module manufacturing plant in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh.
September 15, 2025
Norwegian energy firm Statkraft has agreed to divest a portion of its renewable energy portfolio to Serentica Renewables.
September 15, 2025
Vikram Solar has secured a contract to supply 200MW of modules to AB Energia, a domestic solar engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) solutions provider. 
September 12, 2025
ACME Venus Urja has secured INR3.8 billion (US$43 million) to develop and construct a solar-plus-storage project in Barmer, Rajasthan.
September 11, 2025
The PEARL Consortium has developed perovskite solar cells with carbon electrodes with a conversion efficiency of 21.6%.
September 11, 2025
Constant Energy has secured THB300 million (US$9.4 million) in green financing from HSBC to expand large-scale solar and battery storage projects in Thailand. 

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines