By Hemant K. Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director, Elegar Kerpen Kabel India Private Limited
The rapid surge in the overall solar energy demand in India’s industrial, commercial and residential sectors has emerged as a leading factor behind the growth of the solar cable market in the country. In other words, India’s notable investments in solar farms and incentive programmes continue to boost the demand and rate of adoption of solar energy across all sectors. Since solar/interconnection cables are used in the photovoltaic (PV) power generation space to connect solar panels to the power grid, demand for them is also surging. This growth comes as the government pursues an ambitious target of installing 500 GW of renewable-based capacity, with 280 GW coming from solar power, by 2030. In addition, initiatives such as Make in India and Go Green, and the evolving power distribution sector have incentivised residential and commercial property builders, promoting the widespread use of solar energy. These factors are contributing to the growth of the solar cable market. Furthermore, technology and cost trends highlighting advancements and innovations are shaping the industry’s future. There is a rising need for efficiency, durability and overall safety in solar cables, as shown by the ongoing trends. This article discusses how these technology and cost trends are shaping the future of India’s solar wire and cable industry, and gauges the depth of their role…
Technology trends in the solar cable industry
Keeping up with technological advancements is indispensable to upgrading the efficiency and appeal of products and services. This drives solar cable manufacturers to learn more about the latest technological trends in the industry. Some of the most popular technological trends dominating the solar cable industry currently are:
Adoption of cross-linking technology and formulations: Solar cable manufacturers are embracing advanced technologies such as e-beam cross-linking processes to ensure the efficiency of their product offerings. One such company is Elegar Kerpen, which has installed e-beam cross-linking technology using the CrossFire crosslinking process. This advanced process helps ensure more uniform cross-linked products of high quality. Using cross-linkable formulations for solar wires and cables is another popular technological trend in this domain. Elegar Kerpen is also using novel polymer materials for its PV solar cables to boost the chemical and mechanical resistance of the products and enhance their applicability.
Integration of smart features: Smart cable designs with integrated features such as built-in sensors can enable real-time monitoring of cable performance, help detect defects in transmission, ensure smooth data transmission to a central control set-up, and facilitate ease of scheduling maintenance. The trend of integration with power management systems and storage technology is new, but could become indispensable in identifying and resolving errors more quickly, and in improving uptime and power system efficiency.
Better design and use of quality materials: Solar cable manufacturers are increasingly using tinned copper conductors and innovative materials to ensure hassle-free installation of cables, particularly in large-scale projects. Since solar cables get exposed to prolonged harsh external conditions such as sunlight, wind and rain, cable companies are exploring new materials to build more potent products. They are using materials that help enhance the outdoor durability, ultraviolet and weather resistance, and oil and chemical resistance of their products, to increase their lifespan and reliability.
Hyperfocus on the properties and efficiency of cables: With the demand for solar energy constantly increasing in India, there is an urgent need for dependable solar cable and connector solutions such as advanced solar panels, inverters, solar systems, and wires and cables. This demand has prompted companies to explore ways to boost wire and connection efficiency in order to lower losses during the ongoing transition. As a result, market leaders are focusing on improving the insulating properties of their products by using supreme quality materials and the latest manufacturing processes. They are working on optimising contact resistance across solar connectors for better performance.
Adherence to globally accepted safety standards: Solar cables are mandated to meet strict fire safety regulations to safeguard the interests of consumers. There has been an uptick in the use of new materials and construction methods to make cables more heat-resistant and minimise the risk of fire breakouts in solar power installations. This material is halogen-free to reduce the impact of such extreme incidents. The push to upgrade product safety standards comes as the demand for solar cables compliant with global standards, including IEC and EN, is gaining ground among consumers.
Adoption of DC solar cables: Typically, DC-optimised solar cables operate at high DC voltages commonly seen in new-age solar systems. As a result, more manufacturers are considering their application across solar systems. This is primarily because this technological upgrade enhances system efficiency and helps reduce overall power losses significantly.
Cost trends of solar cables
In addition to technology advancements, the evolving cost trends of the solar cable segment have played a significant role in shaping the industry.
According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency, titled “Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2022”, India recorded a sharp fall in solar installation costs between 2010 and 2022. Over the decade, the cost of solar wires and cables nosedived due to multiple factors, such as advancements and developments in manufacturing processes and overall economies of scale.
On that note, let us discuss some of the popular cost trends in the industry and understand their impact:
Decline in solar installation cost: With the rapid expansion of the solar industry, the overall production volume of advanced solar wires and cables has also surged. This boost in volume has lowered manufacturing costs significantly and enhanced the appeal of solar projects for the distribution sector.
Evolving market competition and innovation: The increased competition in the cable manufacturing industry has prompted market players to lower their product pricing to gain market footing. In addition, it has prompted manufacturers to optimise their operations in different ways to sustain the market’s evolving needs. For instance, cable companies are exploring new materials, adopting high quality production processes, and implementing globally accepted standards and certifications to appeal to their customers with their high quality products. They are constantly innovating on their new and existing product lines to remain relevant in the market.
Frequent investments in R&D: Today, solar cable manufacturers are keener on investing in their research and development (R&D) efforts to ensure they can upgrade their product design and improve the performance of their offerings in an evolving market. To make the most of their investments, cable companies are becoming more aware of the importance of using top-notch equipment and production facilities to ensure that the products they build are of unmatched quality. As a result, more companies are actively procuring high-end equipment and raw materials, as well as training skilled labour to operate cutting-edge machinery. In addition, solar cable manufacturers are keen on setting up state-of-the-art laboratories and testing facilities to ensure that all their products meet the globally accepted safety and performance standards.
These popular cost trends in the solar cable manufacturing industry could grow in the coming years, as the country attempts to cater to the rising demand for solar power generation. Additionally, India’s ambitious energy transition goal will continue to push the industry further. As more policies are introduced to bolster the solar energy segment, the solar cable industry will emerge as a key player to accelerate its growth. However, to keep up with the growing demand for safe and efficient solar cables, the industry should learn about and adopt more of the latest cost and technological trends to enhance offerings. Embracing these advancements will help the industry sustain the competition and allow them to respond to the expansion of the solar energy segment in the country and beyond.
