Indian solar PV manufacturer Waaree Energies has signed a 288MWp solar module supply deal with US project developer Sabanci Renewables.
The deal between Waaree’s US subsidiary, Waaree Solar Americas, and Sabanci pertains to two utility-scale solar projects in Texas: the 156MW Pepper solar project in McLennan County and the 130MW Lucky 7 site in Brashear. Waaree will begin delivery of its 620Wp bifacial solar modules to the sites in Q3 2026.
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Waaree said this deal will mark the first deployment of its 620Wp bifacial modules, which are designed “specifically for severe weather and hail-prone geographies” by incorporating 3.2mm “high-resilience” front glass.
The company said the modules are “built to outperform in the challenging climate profile of Texas- known for hail events, high temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns.”
“This order from Sabanci Renewables highlights deep confidence in Waaree’s technology, reliability and manufacturing scale,” said Sunil Rathi, president, Waaree Solar Americas. “Our 3.2mm high-strength hail-resistant modules are designed for the toughest climates, and this project demonstrates our capability to deliver advanced solar solutions engineered for extreme environments.”
Hail is a pressing problem for the solar industry, especially as the changing global climate causes more frequent instances of extreme weather and solar projects widen their reach into different areas and climates (premium access).
Hail can have an outsized impact on solar projects. Data from kWh Analytics shows that hail damage accounts for 70% of financial losses for US solar projects, despite representing just 6% of the actual number of incidents where money is lost.
The breaking of glass resulting from hail is not helped by the low price of solar modules, which has seen leading manufacturers try to cut costs in order to stay in the black, often by using thinner glass. This was the subject of the tenth anniversary of our PV Tech Power magazine last year.
US solar module supply
Indian-owned Waaree moved into the US solar market in late 2023 with a US$1 billion investment. The company announced plans to expand its Texas module assembly facility earlier this year, to reach 3.2GW of nameplate capacity.
Waaree represents a relatively secure module supply option compared with other international players looking to ship to the US. The company will be unaffected by Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) restrictions introduced in this year’s budget reconciliation bill, and could be in a favourable position, along with other Indian manufacturers, to supply secure solar products to the US.
“Partnering with Waaree for these landmark projects reflects our commitment to building a resilient, future-ready clean energy portfolio in the United States,” said Tolga Kaan Doğancıoğlu, CEO, Sabanci Climate Technologies.
Following an investigation from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which issued a Notice of Initiation of Investigation and Interim Measures to Waaree after allegations from a group of US manufacturers that the company was evading US tariffs on Chinese-made solar cells by mislabelling them as Indian, Waaree denied any evasion and said it did not expect to pay further tariffs on its US imports.
