Established in 1998 in New Delhi by B.K. Mohanka, Gautam Solar has witnessed impressive growth, establishing itself as one of the leading solar manufacturing companies of India. Affected by the pollution issues in Delhi, Mohanka aimed to promote solar energy adoption across India. The company started its journey as a manufacturer of solar components. Despite the risks associated with the clean energy and sustainability industry in its nascent years, the company’s efforts have yielded positive results. Gautam Solar has consistently expanded its solar module manufacturing capacity and has remained profitable since its inception, and aims of becoming a global leader in solar manufacturing.
At present, Gautam Solar has four factories in Haridwar and is undertaking expansion to achieve 2 GW of module manufacturing capacity by the end of 2024. To ensure the smooth and timely realisation of this growth plan, Gautam Solar is committing approximately Rs 1.5 billion.
Product launches, innovations and patents
Gautam Solar has been focusing on product innovation and using the latest machines and technology. The company’s solar panels are manufactured using first-hand top-line machines. With many patents and intellectual properties (IPs) registered, the company is known for its technically superior and innovative solar modules. The company’s increased manufacturing capacity will be dedicated to producing the latest N-type TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivated contact) and mono passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC)
solar modules that are highly efficient. The company has received certifications for conforming to the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) and the Bureau of Indian Standards for the domestic market, while also meeting the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for international markets such as the US and Europe.
Gautam Solar launched its N-type TOPCon solar modules at the Renewable Energy India Expo 2023, in October 2023. The solar modules are available in the wattage range of 565–580 Wp. These modules are primarily designed for ground-mounted projects and have a maximum efficiency of 22.45 per cent. They have been certified as per UL and IEC standards and are already available for the US and European markets. According to the company, its N-type TOPCon solar modules produce 5 per cent more power annually compared to P-type solar modules, owing to enhanced cell efficiency. Furthermore, the company’s N-type TOPCon solar modules have lower degradation rates of 1 per cent in the first year and 0.4 per cent in subsequent years over 2 per cent in the first year and 0.55 per cent in subsequent years for P-type modules. As a result of the increased longevity, N-type TOPCon solar modules degrade to only 87.4 per cent of their initial rated power at the end of 30 years compared to P-type modules, which degrade to 84.8 per cent in their 25-year life cycle. In addition, the N-type modules reduce balance of system costs by 3.26 per cent and levellised cost of energy by 1.56 per cent. The modules are available in both monofacial and bifacial variants, with the latter providing an additional 10-30 per cent power from the rear side, depending on the installation conditions.
Gautam Solar has also acquired a new IP tool for the solar panel bussing process in order to increase the panel production yield. The benefits include an over 50 per cent reduction in the human labour required and doubling of the solar panel manufacturing capacity at a fraction of the cost of an automatic machine. The device also reduces warpage, breakage and thermal stress in solar cells, thereby increasing the lifespan of the panel. One of the major advantages of the tool is its ability to reduce human error and significantly increase precision in the solar panel manufacturing process. It provides accurate control for soldering to meet the requirements of solar panel assembly, and operates within a temperature range of 300-450 °Celsius. Additionally, this device has a special junction arrangement that guarantees uniform thermal energy distribution, lowering the pressure on solar cells. A thermocouple probe is also included for accurate temperature control.
In early 2023, Gautam Solar released its 10-busbar bifacial solar modules (G2X line) with 144 monocrystalline half-cells that have peak power outputs of 520-550 W. These modules have front-side conversion efficiencies ranging from 20.11 per cent to 21.27 per cent. For rooftop solar projects, Gautam Solar has launched its G2X series solar modules. These are high-efficiency 450 Wp solar modules with bigger M10 cells. They are lightweight and smaller in size, making them less complicated to manage, specifically for rooftop solar installations. Another benefit of these modules is that they save on module mounting structure costs. They only require two purlins to install compared to the standard four purlins for the higher wattage M10 modules. These are 120 half-cut PERC monocrystalline modules with monofacial and bifacial cells depending on the variant. Furthermore, the company has launched its ALMM-approved 545 Wp series of 10BB monocrystalline PERC solar panels.
In an interview with Renewable Watch for its 13th anniversary issue, released in November 2023, Gautam Mohanka, chief executive officer, Gautam Solar, said that there is a notable shift towards the adoption of autonomous machines and equipment in solar module production. This ensures higher efficiencies, increased production output and reduced chances of defects and waste. Another significant trend is the transition from polycrystalline to monocrystalline solar panels. Polycrystalline panels are gradually phasing out, and the narrowing price gap between polycrystalline and monocrystalline panels is prompting even those prioritising short-term cost considerations to gravitate towards monocrystalline solar panels. Moreover, emerging technologies such as TOPCon and heterojunction panels are decreasing the market share of the predominant mono-passivated emitter and rear cell technology, owing to their superior efficiency and durability.
Outlook
While product innovation is crucial for the success of a module manufacturer, several government policies have also supported domestic manufacturers. These include the ALMM, the production-linked incentive scheme, basic customs duties and the domestic content requirement scheme.
There have been several changes in the ALMM policy. The ALMM order, which aims to promote domestic manufacturing, was suspended during financial year 2023-24. In February 2024, it was reintroduced with limitations but was revoked again a week later, creating significant uncertainty in the solar industry.
Giving respite to the domestic industry, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) decided to reimpose the regulatory measure for solar Photovoltaic modules from April 1, 2024, as directed on February 9, 2024. As per the order, the ALMM would apply to solar power projects sponsored or subsidised by the central or state governments, including rooftop solar projects and components of the PM KUSUM scheme that receive capital subsidies from the government. However, private solar power projects set up under the open access route or as captive power projects would be exempted from ALMM norms along with under-construction projects that have procured solar modules or placed orders before March 31, 2024, through irrevocable letters of credit.
But, the MNRE surprised the industry by reverting its decision and came out with a new notification on February 15, 2024, putting the ALMM in abeyance again. These frequent policy changes are confusing for the entire industry as both developers and manufacturers need long-term visibility to plan their supply chain and expansion strategies.
In addition to the challenges posed by ALMM changes, the solar industry continues to face supply chain disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and then exacerbated by geopolitical conflicts. This has impacted commodity markets, leading to shortages and price increases in critical materials. Solar manufacturers have had to realign their strategies to adapt to these changing global dynamics and diversify their supply chains and target markets.
Many Indian solar manufacturers are looking to expand abroad to sell their products. The US has become particularly attractive for such companies after the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and due to its solar import ban on a some countries. Gautam Solar, too, sees the US as a major market as it expands its manufacturing capacity and diversifies its client base through exports.
Net, net, the company has a positive outlook despite the current domestic policy uncertainty due its significant export prospects and capacity expansion plans.
By Sarthak Takyar
