Today at the inauguration of a new 36MW solar photovoltaic (PV) production line, the board of Tata BP Solar confirmed that this represents another step towards realizing the designed potential of the 300MW plant. The new production line has seen Tatt BP Solar more than double its cell manufacturing capacity to reach some 50MW per annum. The next phase of the expansion will see an additional 128MW of cell manufacturing capacity added during 2007-8.
As well as the cell manufacturing capacity increase, the Tata BP Solar board has also approved investment which will double the facility's module manufacturing capacity from 45MW to 85MW by end 2007.
The Tata BP Solar board expects the total investment required to achieve the plant's full designed potential of 300MW to be in the order of US$300 million by 2010, generating a sizable number of jobs directly and many more indirectly. This investment will ensure Tata BP Solar, already a leader in cell manufacture and the design of solar solutions, retains its position as the largest manufacturer of solar PV products in the Indian sub-continent.
"This announcement confirms our commitment to maintaining market leadership by developing sustainable clean energy activities in India underpinned by world-class manufacturing," said Syamal Gupta, Chairman, Tata BP Solar. "We have already established solid manufacturing, design, delivery and marketing capabilities. We will now continue to meet the demands of Indian and global solar PV markets."
"The Tata BP Solar team is dynamic, skilled and experienced. We are proud of its excellent track record in safety and performance delivery," said Lee Edwards, CEO, BP Solar. "We are confident that Tata BP Solar will continue to deliver high quality products and services to diverse markets in both rural and urban areas. The talent and dedication of the Bangalore team will help us realise our vision of offering customers solar PV-generated electricity at prices on a par with conventional electricity supply."
The state-of-the-art technology, developed by BP Solar and manufactured by Tata BP Solar, will deliver products and solutions that serve both the Indian and global markets, earning substantial foreign exchange earnings for India while also increasing product supply locally.
Tata BP Solar
Tata BP Solar is Bangalore based joint venture of Tata Power and BP Solar, where BP Solar holds a 51% stake and Tata Power Company Limited holds the balance. Formed in 1989 with commercial operations beginning in 1991, Tata BP Solar has a solid track record of managing safety, growth and performance. The company manufactures solar panels, as well as delivering solar solutions to the end customer. The company has supplied solar energy systems that provided energy to more than 2 million people in the Indian sub continent for applications such as village lighting, water pumping and telecommunications. Tata BP Solar has the distinction of obtaining ISO 9001 quality accreditation and ISO 14001 environmental standards accreditation from BVQI, London. Tata BP Solar products and systems have been accorded approvals by various test agencies across the world including the World Health Organization; Bureau of Indian Standard, Asian Institute of Technology amongst others
BP Solar is part of BP Alternative Energy. BP Alternative Energy was launched in November 2005 and combines all of BP's interests in low and zero-carbon power generation: wind, solar, hydrogen power with carbon capture and storage and gas-fired power generation. BP Solar is a global company with over 2,200 employees focused on harnessing the sun's energy. This includes the design, manufacture and marketing of quality solar electricity systems for a wide range of applications in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. With over 30 years experience and installations in more than 160 countries, BP Solar is one of the world's largest solar companies and has manufacturing facilities in Spain, the US, Australia, India and China.