Tata BP Solar, a joint venture between Tata Power and BP, aims to increase its photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturing capacity from the present 84 Mw to 180 Mw this fiscal, a senior company official said here today.
The official who did not wish to be quoted, said the 1-Mw project being set up in Delhi for North Delhi Power and 3-Mw solar photovoltaic power plant in Maharashtra will become operational in this year.
"The increase of production in our Bangalore facility and the commissioning of the two solar power projects are the major part of our overall expansion plan launched in 2008 which is taking us from 52 Mw to 180 Mw," he told PTI on the sidelines of the ongoing Solarcon 2010, a three day event related to solar energy held here recently.
He said the company, which nearly exports 70 per cent of its production is hopeful of increasing its domestic market share keeping in view of the Solar Mission. "This year the domestic sale is expected to improve due to the national Solar Mission. However the situation will be clear in the next few months," the official said adding the company did a turnover of $250 million last year.
He said as per the Solar Mission guidelines, all the solar power units being set up under the mission in the first phase will have to use the components made in India only to avail of subsidy and other facilities.
The government set up a target of producing 20,000 Mw power under the Solar Mission by 2022. Under the first phase, the government has approved the setting up of 1,100 Mw grid-connected solar plants and 200 Mw capacity equivalent off-grid solar applications till 2013.
At present all the PV wafers that are used to make panels are imported and Tata Solar BP offered no comments on the company's plans of foraying in to manufacturing of wafers.
