Indosol Solar Private Limited, a subsidiary of Shirdi Sai Electricals Limited (SSEL), today commenced production from its cutting-edge solar PV module manufacturing facility in Ramayapatnam, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. Shri Manugunta Mahidhar Reddy formally switched on the stringer unit to commission the 500 MW module line at the project, thus heralding India's ambitious plan to boost domestic manufacturing under the PLI schemes. 

 The facility's commissioning on March 31, 2024, underscores Indosol's commitment to delivering superior-quality solar products and its unflinching commitment to reduce India's dependence on imports.  

 At the commissioning stage, the facility is equipped to manufacture 500 MW of fully automated solar PV modules with different glass-glass and glass-back sheet combinations, including TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivated contact), and HJT (heterojunction technology) modules. An amount of Rs 1,300 crore will be invested in developing the initial phase, built on 30 acres of land allocated so far.

Once completed, this will be the world's first fully integrated quartz-to-module manufacturing plant and have a final capacity of 30 GW upstream and 20 GW downstream facilities.  The complete project is envisaged to be developed in phases over the next five years.

The integrated project would require 8,348 acres of land, including ancillary industries, a township, common infrastructure such as roads and power, a desalination facility of 100 MLD plant, storage, etc., and a compulsory 33 per cent green area, excluding land required for captive power generation.

This project will become a grand scheme for advanced manufacturing, economic development, and employment generation in Andhra Pradesh. The land required for this project is being purchased and offered at full market value, including service charges by APIIC/APMB as per the 'Land Acquisition for Others (LA)' norms.

Phase wise development

By December 2024, phase 1A of the project will be completed, which will have manufacturing capacities for 500 MW modules, 500 MW Cells, and 500 MW ingot-wafer, providing direct employment to 800 people.

The fully completed Phase 1 of the project, comprising around 5 GW, will be completed by 2025 at an investment of Rs 15,000 crore. Additional production of 5 GW of glass panels, one of the raw materials for the modules, will be produced internally. Full capacity is targeted for 2028.

"Once the full scale of operations of our integrated project is achieved, Indosol Solar will have a positive economic impact on up to 100,000 people while creating direct and indirect employment for over 32,000 people in the state of Andhra Pradesh," said Sharat Chandra, CEO of Shirdi Sai Electricals Limited.  

Over the years, SSEL has expanded its footprint beyond national borders, supplying transformers to over 40 countries across five continents. With a robust growth trajectory, SSEL has achieved a remarkable compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22 per cent over the past 12 years.