Mondragon Bags 500 MW India Order

• Nithin Sai Renewables is building a new 500 MW solar panel plant in India's Bangalore
• It will be expanded with an additional 2 GW under phase II and cater to demand within India and internationally
• Mondragon Assembly is to commission the 500 MW line by Q4/2024 to roll out over 2,000 modules a day using M10, half-cut solar cells
• The line can be easily upgraded to accommodate next-generation modules and cell sizes ranging from M3 to M12, including 15 MBB cells

Andhra Pradesh, India based construction company Nithin Sai Constructions is foraying into solar panel manufacturing with plans for 2.5 GW annual production capacity, starting with a 500 MW line that its supplier Mondragon Assembly says will be one of the most advanced and largest automated manufacturing lines in South India.

According to the Spanish PV equipment producer, the 500 MW state-of-the-art 500 MW automated line will start with M10, half-cut solar cells with a capacity to roll out more than 2,000 panels a day. It can then easily be upgraded to accommodate next-generation modules and cell sizes ranging from M3 to M12, including 15 MBB cells.

The 500 MW line is scheduled to be fully operational by Q4/2024.

The equipment will also give an option to produce glass-glass and/or glass-backsheet modules. Phase I will comprise 500 MW solar panel plant in Bangalore. It aims for an additional 2 GW expansion under phase II.

Nithin Sai Renewables Pvt Ltd, the renewable energy arm of Nithin Sai Constructions, sees demand for high-quality and high-wattage modules growing within India and also in the US, Europe, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The company says it has experience in multi-GW solar EPC projects and wants to continue implementing clean energy projects globally.

"Mondragon and Nithin Sai will take this technological partnership to the next level and go a long way. Nithin Sai will also establish state-of-the-art R&D facilities with the support of renowned laboratories and Mondragon Assembly, which is actively involved in multiple R&D projects worldwide," said Nithin Sai Renewables CTO Ramesh Shivanna.

Mondragon terms this deal with Nithin Sai as a 'significant milestone' for the company's solar business in India.

Last year in October 2022, the Spanish company secured an order from BVG India Ltd for a 500 MW module plant under phase I to be installed in Greater Noida of Uttar Pradesh, with capacity to produce 2,000 modules a day (see Mondragon To Supply 500 MW PV Module Line For Indian Customer).