German firms show interest in Indian solar energy area
New Delhi, Sept 18, 2007
Source: Economic Times
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Energy/Power/2382728.cms
Leading German renewable energy firms have shown interest to manufacture solar cells and air-conditioners in India, taking advantage of abundant solar energy in the country. Prozop-Solar and Q-Cells have recently held talks with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, sharing their plans to set up manufacturing facilities in India.
While Prozop-Solar wants to manufacture the solar air-conditioners, Q-Cells has offered to make solar cells. “A minimum of three million Euro is required for setting up a solar air-conditioner plant,” Prozop-Solar CEO Andreas Noehrig said here. The German renewable energy major is looking for an Indian partner, Noehrig said.
He said the cost of manufacturing these air-conditioners would be significantly lower in India than in Europe. “It will cost us 6,000 Euros while in Europe, the cost would be 10,000 Euros,” he said. Q-Cells, which is a major player in solar cells, is targeting the renewable device manufacturers.
Officials of the two German firms last week met Minister of New and Renewable Energy Vilas Muttemwar. “We want the foreign companies to extend their technology in solar energy to the Indian companies,” Muttemwar said.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has also proposed to set up a Special Economic Zone for the production of renewable energy equipment. However, the government wants to go slow on the proposal apprehending protests from farmers.