Indian renewable energy company Grew Energy has broken ground on a new solar manufacturing fab worth INR 45 billion ($539 million) in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).
It claims to have now become the 1st renewable energy player in India to set up a manufacturing facility in J&K.
The new factory will be a 3-stage fully backward integrated facility with 3.2 GW of annual production capacity for high efficiency solar modules and 2.8 GW for ingots, wafers and cells. Located in Kathua, the factory is spread over an area of 80 acres.
Grew says the output from this fab will help meet the future demand for the growing solar needs of J&K, Ladakh, other neighboring states and the country at large. The factory will also contribute to local development by creating jobs and upskilling the youth.
Ladakh is scheduled to have a 13 GW renewable energy project which was initially proposed as a 7.5 GW solar park. It will be accompanied by a 12 GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) (see India Clears Massive Renewable Energy Facility).
"With establishment of our Kathua facility and our existing 2.8 GW module manufacturing facility in Jaipur, Rajasthan, Grew will achieve a total of 6 GW manufacturing capacity for modules and 2.8 GW for solar components by FY25," said CEO and Director of Grew Energy Vinay Thadani.
Part of the 'largest' denim manufacturer in Asia Chiripal Group, Grew Energy is one of the winners of India's Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme. It won a INR 5.6 billion funding for its 2 GW wafer, cell and module manufacturing plans in March 2023. Earlier this year, the manufacturer signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the State of Gujarat to invest INR 38 billion on 2.8 GW cell and module unit at Dholera (see India Solar PV News Snippets).
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