India Energy Week 2025: India takes giant strides ahead of flagship event in New Delhi

Published on Authored by C to I News Desk

The India government’s flagship energy event, India Energy Week, is around the corner. The third edition of the IEW is set to take place in the national capital from February 11 to 14. The mega event, India Energy Week 2025, will showcase India’s growing progress in the energy sector as the country is aiming towards a green future.

Representational image. Photo courtesy: x.com/Amitraaz
Representational image. Photo courtesy: x.com/Amitraaz

As IEW gears up to host over 70,000 energy professionals from 120 countries, let’s take a look at some of the recent developments in India pertaining to the energy sector.

India-UK strengthen Green Hydrogen cooperation

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), in partnership with the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), organized a two-day workshop on Green Hydrogen in New Delhi recently.

The event aimed to enhance India-UK collaboration on hydrogen standardization, focusing on Green Hydrogen Production and Regulations, according to an official statement.

Abbey Dorian, BSI Energy Sector Lead, highlighted that the India-UK Standards Partnership Workshop on Green Hydrogen represents a significant step in international cooperation for clean energy transitions.

She emphasized the importance of knowledge exchange, standardization, and innovation in building a sustainable hydrogen market. Dorian also noted that both India and the UK share the ambition to lead in green hydrogen, contributing to the global goal of achieving a net-zero future.

The workshop was part of the UK government’s broader Standards Partnership program, designed to promote international standards in India to accelerate growth, attract investment, and boost trade.

The event focused on adopting safe, scalable, and globally harmonized Regulations, Codes, and Standards (RCS), as well as fast-tracking PAS (Publicly Available Specification) standards and global hydrogen certification.

This initiative also aligns with BIS’s efforts under India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, helping to identify gaps in standards, explore new areas, and connect with experts.

By drawing on global best practices, the program aims to enhance India’s certification, testing, and standardization processes, fostering a competitive and sustainable green hydrogen economy.

The workshop featured presentations from policymakers, technical experts, and industry leaders from both India and the UK. It was inaugurated by Rajiv Sharma, Deputy Director General (Standardisation-I) at BIS; Laura Aylett, Head of Climate and Energy at the British High Commission; and Abbey Dorian, BSI’s Energy Sector Lead. They all underscored the shared vision between India and the UK to drive innovation and sustainability in the green hydrogen sector.

India’s solar capacity to reach 50-55 GW by 2027, driven by government policies

India’s solar cell manufacturing capacity is projected to reach 50-55 GW by the fiscal year 2027, a significant increase from 10 GW at the end of fiscal 2024.

This expansion is driven by government policies aimed at reducing reliance on imports of solar cells and modules, according to a report from Crisil Ratings released on Thursday, February 6.

The growth will require a capital expenditure (capex) of INR 28,000-30,000 crore, expected to be funded through a 70:30 debt-equity mix. Strong financial health and robust cash flow are expected to support credit quality.

Solar panel installation
Solar panel installation. Representative photo courtesy: Pixabay/JoseMalagonArenas

This estimate is based on a Crisil Ratings study of four domestic cell manufacturers, which together accounted for 54 percent of the total cell manufacturing capacity as of March 31, 2024.

The government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, coupled with policy measures aimed at reducing imports, is expected to drive module manufacturers to integrate backward into cell production. This will lead to a significant increase in domestic cell capacity, the report suggests.

India’s module-making capacity had surged to 60 GW by March 2024, up from 7 GW in March 2020, significantly reducing module imports from 45 percent of total consumption in the previous fiscal to just 25 percent in the current one. However, the import of solar cells, a critical input for module manufacturing, remains high, with around 80 percent of cells still being imported, mainly from China.

With domestic cell supply still insufficient, India’s import dependence may increase, especially with anticipated growth in renewable energy capacity, the report warns.

Crisil Ratings Director Ankit Hakhu explained that to support domestic demand and increase cell-making capacity, the government has mandated that only cells from its approved list of manufacturers (ALCM) be used in open access, net metering projects, and projects receiving government funding or acting as counterparties.

Additionally, the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme and domestic content requirements are expected to boost local manufacturing. These measures have led to announcements of cell capacity expansions totaling 45-50 GW, which will push India’s overall cell-making capacity to around 55 GW over the next two years.

The increase in cell manufacturing will enhance India’s self-reliance and enable better integration at the cell level. For example, with domestically produced cells, 70-80 percent of the module’s cost can be captured within India, compared to just 40-50 percent when cells are imported.

Additionally, the proportion of domestic module capacity supported by domestic cell capacity is expected to rise to over 50% from less than 15 percent in fiscal 2024.

However, domestically manufactured cells are expected to be 80-90 percent more expensive than imported cells, due to higher conversion costs from wafers to cells, at least initially, and price dumping by China. While government schemes like PLI may help manufacturers absorb some of these costs, solar project developers may face an increase in project costs.

The report concludes that continued policy support, including non-tariff barriers such as the ALCM and ALMM, will be essential to sustain demand for domestically produced cells and modules. Additionally, changes in US trade policies and disruptions to wafer supplies, primarily sourced from China, should be closely monitored.

Tamil Nadu ramps up solar energy manufacturing

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin inaugurated a 4.3 GW solar cell and module manufacturing plant by TP Solar, a Tata Group subsidiary, at the Gangaikondan SIPCOT industrial estate in the district on Thursday, February 6.

The plant, built at an estimated cost of INR 3,800 crore, is set to create 4,000 jobs, with a significant number of positions offered to women.

In another event, Stalin laid the foundation for Vikram Solar’s new facility, which will include a 3 GW solar cell and 6 GW module manufacturing plant at a cost of INR 2,574 crore. This project is expected to provide 2,500 jobs, also with a focus on women employment.

Tamil Nadu, India’s second-largest economy, has been recognized in the Economic Survey for 2024-25 for its success in attracting investments and creating numerous jobs, especially for women. The state government continues to implement initiatives aimed at fostering job creation and driving economic growth, with a target to grow the economy to a trillion US dollars by 2030.

Tata Power Ltd initially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the TP Solar project in July 2022, with an additional MoU signed during the Global Investors Summit in January last year. During the inauguration, CM Stalin visited the factory and interacted with the women employees working there.

Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran, who addressed the event via video conference, said it could expand to 8 GW in the future. He highlighted the plant’s significant impact on providing local employment, especially to women within a 100 km radius.

The plant in Tirunelveli represents a significant leap forward for India’s solar manufacturing capacity, contributing to the nation’s renewable energy ambitions while generating employment and promoting sustainable growth.

(With inputs from PTI)