Solar power industry seeks manufacturing push

Solar power equipment makers asked the government to encourage manufacturing in the country under the second phase of its flagship plan - Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. "In the second phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) indigenous manufacturing should be encouraged," said Satyendra Kumar, Chief Technology Officer, Lanco Solar. He was addressing a panel discussion as a member of the Indian Solar Manufacturer's Association (ISMA). Kumar said the industry wants faster implementation of the government scheme. "We want implementation as early as possible and on a continuous basis," he said. The JNNSM was launched on the January 11, 2010 by the Prime Minister. The Mission has set the ambitious target of deploying 20,000 MW of grid connected solar power by 2022 and is aimed at reducing the cost of solar power generation in the country. Meanwhile, SEMI - an association serving the nano and microelectronics manufacturing supply chains - said that India requires the development of top-notch photo-voltaic manufacturing and market ecosystem.

Lanco to set up solar cells unit New Delhi (Agencies): Lanco Solar Private Ltd, a part of Lanco Group, on Thursday said it would open photovoltaic (PV) solar cell manufacturing unit at a special economic zone (SEZ) in Rajnandgaon of Chhattisgarh next year. Our new facility will be able to start producing solar cells by middle of next year. When completed, it will have capacity to make 300 MW solar cells, Satyendra Kumar, Chief Technology Officer, Lanco Solar said. At present, the existing plant manufactures only solar modules.