Que: 2023: Unveiling Business Odyssey

Ans: We started the year on a positive note by securing ALMM approval for our 10BB Mono PERC Solar Panel series, which helped us gain a significant share of the solar module supply market and are now ranked among Top 10 Indian solar module manufacturers. We supplied our solar modules for a number of high-profile projects, including Bhopal Airport and 70 MW supply in North India.

Additionally, we obtained 2 patent design registrations showcasing the culture of innovation at Gautam Solar. We designed a new solar module frame, which halves the number of fasteners used in installation and simplifies the process. Apart from this, we designed a tool used during bussing process of solar modules, which reduces manual work by over 50 percent, doubling production and that too at a fraction of cost of an automatic machine.

In terms of capacity, we expanded our manufacturing capacity to 1 GW by adding a 500 MW high-efficiency automatic solar module production line, which is being used to manufacture TOPCon solar modules.

We launched our cutting-edge TOPCon Solar Modules in 2023. We showcased these modules in Europe, US and India. Our TOPCon modules are certified as per UL & IEC standards for export and are also BIS certified for the Indian market. Gautam Solar’s TOPCon modules offer higher efficiencies, up to 22.84 percent on account of the innovative structure of TOPCon cells. A thin tunneling oxide layer applied on a silicon substrate, allows charge carriers to pass while minimising recombination losses, thereby helping generate more energy. They are also more reliable with lower degradation rates of 1 percent in first year and 0.4 percent in years 2-30 compared to 2 percent in first year and 0.55 percent in years 2-25 for Mono PERC. Hence, they degrade to only 87.4 percent of initial rated power at the end of 30 years compared to 84.8 percent for Mono PERC after 25 years.

Que: 2024: Unlocking New Horizons

Ans: We have major plans, in terms of capacity expansion in 2024. We are already hard at work on our annual module manufacturing capacity expansion to 2 GW, which we aim to complete by the end of 2024. These include expansions at our present 4 factories in Haridwar, Uttarakhand and a new factory being set up in Haryana. We also have plans to start our own solar cell manufacturing unit.

We are also exporting our TOPCon and Mono PERC solar panels in the US, having obtained all necessary certifications.

Que: Navigating Growth: Ushering in New Trends

Ans: We have a positive outlook on the Indian solar industry. The Net Zero initiative and the renewable energy targets set by the government provide a strong catalyst for the growth of the Indian solar industry. The government is also planning to bring back Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) from April 2024, having relaxed it for 1 year. It will provide a major impetus to the growth of domestic manufacturing.

Among the key trends in Indian solar industry is the move towards more advanced module technologies like TOPCon. These technologies provide higher efficiency and durability than the conventional Mono PERC technology. This ensures that the modules produce more power for a longer period of time, thus helping lower LCOE and BOS costs and making solar energy more cost-competitive with traditional fossil fuel plants.

Another trend is the growth of domestic manufacturing. Due to higher renewable energy demand in India and abroad, Indian manufacturers are rapidly expanding module and cell manufacturing capacities to meet this demand and provide an alternative to China-based solar manufacturers. Indian solar industry has the potential to be the next IT industry, in terms of exports to US especially considering that the US has imposed high duties on Chinese solar modules. Hence, India has the opportunity to become a major player in the global solar energy supply chain.