Tata Power Solar (TPS) has won one of the largest DCR orders of JNNSM phase-2 batch-1. The company will supply the entire module requirement for the 20 MW (AC) project to be built by ACME Solar, a leading solar power developer in India. The 1,00,000 modules, constituting 60,00,000 cells, needed for the project will be manufactured at TPS' state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Bangalore.

ACME Solar, during the JNNSM bidding last year, won projects totalling 100 MW. Of this, 20 MW, under Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) policy of MNRE, needs to be constructed using cells and modules manufactured domestically.

ACME Solar is a three-way joint venture between ACME, EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF EN), the renewable energy arm of French state-run electricity utility Électricité de France S.A., and Luxembourg-based natural resources saving group EREN.

Speaking on the announcement, Rahul Budhwar, Vice President - Manufacturing and Business Development, Tata Power Solar said, "ACME and EDF awarded the business to us after a rigorous selection process. This is a testimony to our superior and world-class manufacturing capabilities we have built over the last 25 years. We are looking forward to a strategic relationship with ACME and EDF and, in the process, contributing to the success of JNNSM by providing world-class modules at competitive prices."

Commenting on the project, Manoj Kumar Upadhyay, CEO, ACME Solar, said "Modules constitute the single largest component in a solar power project, upwards of 50% of the total cost.

ACME Solar goes through a very tough process of approval for module manufacturers, their technology, reliability and financial strength to ensure that they last for 25 years to give high confidence to government, lenders and other stake holders about the performance. Tata Power Solar passed our qualification criteria and automatically became our primary choice for procuring domestically manufactured modules."

Tata Power Solar had recently announced a 60% increase in their module manufacturing capacity, and the Bangalore facility now has 200 MW module and 180 MW cell production capacities.  Tata Power Solar has an on-field performance history with less than 0.06% warranty claims, and a 25 year legacy which gives developers the confidence that the company will service the 25 years long warranty period.  It is also the only company in India whose modules are rated as Tier 1 in Bankability by GTM Research, a globally recognized PV market research firm. 

Under the DCR policy of MNRE for the phase-2 of JNNSM, a total of 375 MW of solar power plants have to be built using domestically produced cells and modules. The initiative is aimed at promoting manufacturing in the country.
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