IB Solar has signed an MoU with three German partners to establish a solar technology Center of Excellence in the YEIDA region
The center will focus on R&D, process engineering, technology development, and manufacturing for mainstream and next-generation PV technologies
Centrotherm and RENA Technologies bring solar cell manufacturing expertise, while ISC Konstanz contributes photovoltaic research capabilities
India-based PV and storage manufacturer IB Solar has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with German companies Centrotherm International AG, RENA Technologies GmbH, and ISC Konstanz to establish the Centre of Excellence for Solar Technology in the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) region of Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. It was signed at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo 2026, organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
The initiative has received support from the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), the German Solar Association (BSW), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, which helped facilitate the collaboration.
The proposed center aims to bring research and development (R&D) closer to the manufacturing industry by bringing together Indian and international technology partners. The collaboration is expected to support domestic process engineering, technology development, and manufacturing technologies for mainstream and next-generation solar technologies.
India’s solar industry has grown rapidly in recent years, especially in module production. It is currently eyeing expansion of domestic cell manufacturing. The next step is to build stronger capabilities in technology development and process engineering, so that the industry can move beyond manufacturing capacity and develop more of its own technologies.
Centrotherm and RENA Technologies, which are involved in process technology in cell production equipment, and ISC Konstanz – involved in photovoltaic research and technologies – bring different areas of expertise to this collaboration. Their participation is expected to support joint R&D, technology development, and knowledge exchange, while helping translate research outcomes into manufacturing applications. Skill development and technical training are also part of its proposed focus, helping build expertise within India's solar manufacturing workforce.
Commenting on the collaboration, Abhinav Mahajan, Director and Co-founder of IB Solar, said: “India has progressed from depending on imported solar technologies to manufacturing its own cells. The next leap is to develop indigenous research capabilities and create technologies of our own.”
