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Andhra set to become solar panel manufacturing hub

Hyderabad - State government signs MoU with China's Xi'an LONGi Silicon Materials Corp for setting up of a solar module and cell manufacturing plant.

The Andhra Pradesh government, as part of its efforts to make the State a solar-panel manufacturing hub in the country, has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China's Xi'an LONGi Silicon Materials Corp for setting up of a solar module and cell manufacturing plant in the state.
The MoU was signed in New Delhi by LONGi's Chairman Baoshen Zhong and the State Energy Secretary Ajay Jain in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. Another MoU was also signed between Sri City (P) Ltd and Xi'an LONGi Silicon Materials Corp.
Xi'an LONGi Silicon Materials Corp is among top 5 global silicon wafer producers with four production bases in China.
The Chinese company will invest in a facility for manufacturing solar cells and modules with the capacity of 500MW at Sri City in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh, with an estimated investment of Rs15 billion. The project will provide potential employment to 1,000 people. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said: "This is a very good investment from China in AP. Solar power is the best solution for sustainable economic growth." This is one of the major investments from a Chinese company following chief minister's visit to China in April this year.
"I want to create a solar manufacturing hub in Andhra Pradesh. With the interest in the sector from solar manufacturing companies, I am hopeful that more than 50 percent of India's manufacturing capacity will be set up in Andhra Pradesh in the long term. Currently, we share 10 per cent of the country's target for solar power," Naidu said.
"This is also a success story of China-India trade relations," Ajay Jain said. BaoshenZhong, Chairman, Xi'an Longi Silicon Materials Corporation said: "This plant will manufacture state-of-the-art solar modules with higher efficiency than the currently available systems. In this way, we are participating in both 'Make in India' as well as 'Innovate in India'. This is just the first step, I am sure we will invest much more and other companies will follow suit."
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