US-based solar module manufacturer First Solar plans to invest an additional $150 million in India, taking its total investment in the country closer to $1 billion. The company has already invested $700 million in its Indian operations. Announcing the investment at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit (BRE Summit 2026) in New Delhi, First Solar CEO Mark Widmar highlighted the importance of policy certainty in sustaining investments in India’s solar manufacturing sector.
First Solar Seeks Stable Solar Manufacturing Policies
Widmar emphasised that the government must maintain consistency in its policy commitments, particularly regarding the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) for solar modules and cells. He noted that any changes or uncertainty in announced policies could affect investment decisions and slow down the expansion of manufacturing facilities. According to Widmar, investors need clear and predictable policies before committing substantial capital to long-term manufacturing projects. With the additional $150 million investment, First Solar expects its cumulative investment in India to approach $1 billion over the next couple of years.
$150 Million Investment to Upgrade Solar Module Technology
Explaining the investment plans, Sujoy Ghosh, Country Managing Director of First Solar India, said the company had already initiated the $150 million investment to upgrade its manufacturing processes and produce more advanced thin-film solar modules. The upgraded modules will feature a temperature coefficient of -0.22% per degree Celsius, compared with approximately -0.35% for mono-PERC modules and -0.30% for TOPCon modules. The temperature coefficient measures the reduction in a solar module’s power output as its temperature rises above the standard testing temperature of 25°C. A lower coefficient means better performance in high-temperature conditions. This advantage is particularly important in India, where solar panels operate under elevated temperatures for much of the year. As reported by thehindubusinesslinr.com, regions such as Rajasthan, which account for a significant share of India’s solar capacity, could benefit from improved module performance.
Thin-Film Technology Reduces Dependence on Silicon Supply Chains
Unlike conventional solar modules that use crystalline silicon cells, First Solar manufactures thin-film modules using cadmium telluride (CdTe), a semiconductor material deposited as a thin layer on a glass substrate. This technology follows a different manufacturing process from mono-PERC and TOPCon modules, which require silicon wafers and several processing stages to manufacture solar cells. Importantly, First Solar’s thin-film manufacturing process does not require polysilicon, ingots or wafers. Therefore, it reduces the company’s dependence on the conventional crystalline silicon supply chain. Ghosh further noted that First Solar’s Indian manufacturing operations do not depend on imported silicon or the traditional crystalline silicon supply chain.
Strengthening India’s Solar Manufacturing Capabilities
The additional $150 million investment reinforces First Solar’s long-term commitment to India’s solar manufacturing sector. However, the company has also stressed that consistent government policies and regulatory clarity will remain essential to attracting further investments. As India expands its renewable energy capacity and domestic solar manufacturing capabilities, investments in advanced technologies such as thin-film modules could strengthen the country’s position in the global solar energy market.
