Tata Power has signed an MoU with the Tamil Nadu Government to invest around Rs.3,000 crore for setting up a mega greenfield solar cell and module manufacturing plant in the southern state.
A release by Tata Power said that the manufacturing facility with annual capacity of 4 GW of solar cells and 4 GW of solar modules will come up in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. The investment in the plant will be made over a period of 16 months and will directly or indirectly create over 2,000 employment opportunities with majority of them being women employees.
“The MoU outlines the commitment made by both parties to stimulate clean energy transition and employment in the state,” Tata Power said.
Signatories
The MoU was signed by S. Krishnan IAS, Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Industries Department, and Dr. Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power in the presence of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. K. Stalin and other senior officials of the state during the Tamil Nadu Investors’ First Port of Call, Investment Conclave 2022.
Industry 4.0 Standards
The new plant in Tamil Nadu will integrate Mono-PERC (Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell) Bifacial Technology with future n-Type technology of Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contacts (TOPCON) and will produce high wattage modules with industry-leading efficiencies. For the smooth navigation of equipment, the facility will implement autonomous mobile robots (AMR) which use lasers and cameras for transporting parts. Another highlight of the technological advancement in the plant will be the implementation of Industry 4.0 standards – a fully interconnected factory comprising smart manufacturing tools and technologies.
Clean energy solution provider
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Dr Praveer Sinha, CEO & MD, Tata Power, said “India has opportunity to spearhead the usage of clean and green energy solutions to meet its energy requirements. Tata Power Solar’s new production facility is being set up with the support and assistance of Tamil Nadu Government, will help to meet the rising demand for clean energy solutions in the country apart from providing huge employment opportunities.”
Also read: Tata Power Solar Commissions 450-Mw Solar Project For Brookfield Renewables
Second solar mfg facility
Tata Power Solar’s Tamil Nadu facility will be the second manufacturing unit of the company after Bangalore where it has annual production capacity of 635 MW of modules and 500 MW of cells. Tata Power is one of the first to put a solar manufacturing facility in the country. It did so way back in 1991 with the aforementioned Bangalore plant and since then it has regularly upgraded the facility by setting up the Mono-PERC cell line in FY21.
