Photovoltaics: Sunny times ahead

By Akhila Thyli-Hemanth
09 April 2009

Bangalore: India can play a leading role in the global photovoltaic (PV) and solar industry, says a new white paper released in Bangalore today by SEMI PV Group, a group dedicated to serving the photovoltaic and solar manufacturing supply chain.

The photovoltaic industry-guided white paper, The Solar PV Landscape in India - An Industry Perspective, focusing on solar photovoltaics projects solar photovoltaic as an area with tremendous potential, including growth opportunities and potential socio-economic development benefits and the current market.

The paper was produced by the Indian arm of global photovoltaics industry association, SEMI, SEMI India PV advisory committee, with the involvement of industry leaders from all sectors of the solar pholtaic supply chain.

SEMI  represents the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries. This paper suggests that India can play a leading role in the global photovoltaic (PV) and solar industry.

The paper highlights numerous drivers for photovoltaics in India, including the country's rising energy needs, persistent energy situation, and the country's overdependence on fossil fuels for energy generation.

India is already home to nine photovoltaic cell manufacturers and nearly 20 module manufacturers, and the country benefits from an abundant endowment of solar radiation, averaging 300 sunny days per year. Effective public policies in support of PV manufacturing and wider adoption could substantially reduce India's dependence on fossil fuels for power generation, and produce enormous socio-economic benefits.