Premier Energies commissioned a 7 GW N-type TOPCon G12R solar cell manufacturing facility at Naidupeta in Andhra Pradesh. The facility has entered trial production, taking the company’s total solar cell manufacturing capacity to 10.6 GW. According to the company, the expanded capacity makes Premier Energies India’s largest solar cell manufacturer.
₹3,293 Crore Investment in Solar Manufacturing
Spread across 101 acres, the new facility was developed with a capital expenditure of ₹3,293 crore. Premier Energies said the plant is the largest solar cell manufacturing facility in India. Moreover, the company commissioned the facility on schedule and within its planned budget, marking a significant milestone in its solar manufacturing expansion.
Advanced Manufacturing and Digital Technologies
The facility is designed for high-volume production and digitally enabled manufacturing. It can produce approximately 88,000 solar cells per hour, supporting higher throughput and operational efficiency. Furthermore, Premier Energies has integrated advanced digital systems and artificial intelligence into the manufacturing process. These technologies support predictive performance analysis, tighter process control and precision manufacturing. Fully automated material handling, transportation, packing and packaging systems further improve production consistency and throughput.
Focus on High-Efficiency TOPCon Technology
The 7 GW facility is designed to support future upgrades to next-generation TOPCon+ technologies, including poly-finger metallisation and advanced edge-isolation processes. Following stabilisation and ramp-up, the company is targeting an average solar cell efficiency of approximately 25.8%. Consequently, the facility will strengthen Premier Energies’ ability to meet growing demand for high-efficiency solar products in domestic and international markets.
Supporting Solar Manufacturing Integration
According to Chiranjeev Saluja, Managing Director, Premier Energies, the company expects the new capacity to improve its ability to serve rising demand with greater supply reliability and operating efficiency. The facility also supports Premier Energies’ strategy to achieve greater backward integration into ingots and wafers. This approach is aimed at building a more integrated and globally competitive solar manufacturing platform while supporting India’s clean energy transition.
Zero Liquid Discharge for Sustainable Manufacturing
As reported by thehindubusinessline.com, the facility incorporates a Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system designed to maximise water recycling and reuse. As a result, the plant combines large-scale solar cell manufacturing with measures aimed at improving resource efficiency and supporting more sustainable production practices.
