Competition Heating up in Solar-cell Market in India
by Motonobu Kawai, Nikkei Microdevices, Jun 6, 2008
Source: TechOn
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20080606/152919/
Solar cell manufacturing in India is being established more rapidly than other devices. Several emerging manufacturers began volume production in 2007, while existing manufacturers are increasing output. According to Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, an Indian research institute, solar cell production in India is expected to rise from 80MW per year in 2007 to 350MW in 2012 and 3GW in 2022 *1. In fact, however, solar cell production in India is likely to increase much faster than these forecasts. [*1: “Solar Phtovoltaics in India: Status and Prospects” by Barua A., released at the 17th International Photovoltaic Science and Engineering Conference, 2007]
“Among Indian solar cell manufacturers, Tata BP, Moser Baer and Reliance are showing momentum, in particular,” said Prasanth Sakhamuri, managing director of Hind High Vacuum Co Pvt Ltd, an Indian equipment manufacturer. “These manufacturers will be fighting over the largest share in India.”
Tata BP Solar India Ltd is an old solar cell manufacturer founded in 1989. It plans to boost its current production capacity of 50MW per year to 300MW by 2010. Moser Baer Photo Voltaic Ltd, on the other hand, is a new market entrant that just began manufacturing solar cells in the spring of 2007. The company is holding a bullish plan to raise its current output capacity of 40MW per year to 500MW by 2010. And the Reliance Group is the largest company group in India that is reportedly advancing preparation toward production in the State of Gujarat in Western India.
In addition to these three, diverse Indian solar cell manufacturers are planning to increase their production, including Solar Semiconductor Pvt Ltd, which was established by engineers who had returned from the US, and Maharishi Solar Technology Pvt, one of the oldest players in the market. Involving both new and old manufacturers, solar cell manufacturing competition has just taken place in India.
In other electronic device areas, a number of LSI companies receiving technical support from European and US manufacturers have entered a planning phase, while PDP manufacturers have started making prototypes in a small volume and local LCD panel manufacturers are discussing production in India.
If the solar cell industry that requires clean rooms and vacuum process is established, that means the foundation for the production of other electronics devices such as FPDs and LSI chips are also established. It is because manufacturing processes of thin-film silicon solar cells and LCD panels are similar: Both thin-film solar cells and LSI use silicon substrates.
Nikkei Microdevices examines India’s power of electronic device manufacturing, referring to cases of Indian solar cell manufacturers below.
World’s first process line drawing interest
Moser Baer Photo Voltaic (MBPV) is receiving the most attention among Indian solar cell manufacturers from those engaged in solar cell manufacturing the world over. The company is currently preparing for manufacturing thin-film silicon solar cells using a huge glass substrate measuring 2.2 x 2.6m in Noida on the outskirts of New Deli.
For manufacturing, MBPV will use the “SunFab” process line that Applied materials Inc (AMAT) of the US is promoting. The SunFab is a so-called turnkey solution providing every necessary manufacturing device. MBPV will be the first SunFab user, and that is why its success or failure is drawing interest now.
If a turnkey solution as the SunFab succeeds, it will become easier for financially-powerful companies in different business areas to enter the solar cell business. In addition, the large 2.2 x 2.6m substrate has the potential to drastically slash solar cell manufacturing costs. If MBPV succeeds in this manufacturing, it will result in major changes in power relationships among solar cell manufacturers.
Can MBPV really launch the world’s first production line smoothly in India? Installation of the line is being steadily advanced at the plant site despite such skepticism among many players in the solar cell industry.
AMAT has assigned roughly 100 engineers to the plant. As of the end of January 2008, the installation of a 1/2 to 2/3 of the line was almost finished (note 1). With the plasma CVD apparatus, which holds the key to success or failure of the SunFab, having been installed and powered, MBPV told us, “We will test the conveyance of glass substrates in a few days.” The company also built a new in-house power generation facility ahead of the operation of the thin-film silicon solar cell process line. MBPV is waiting for the line to begin operations under current circumstances.
Note 1: In the 20,000m2 clean room for thin-film silicon solar cells, the standard area is rated Class 100000, whereas the plasma CVD area is rated Class 10000.