Reliance Industries to commission solar cell manufacturing unit in November

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Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) will commission its solar cell manufacturing unit next month, marking a key milestone in the conglomerate’s plan to build India’s first fully integrated solar manufacturing value chain.

The group is creating a new-energy ecosystem that spans the entire chain — from solar modules and battery storage to green hydrogen and sustainable chemicals — as part of its ambition to emerge as a leading player in India’s clean-energy transition.

“We are building the world’s only integrated solar PV manufacturing gigafactory,” said Sriram Ramakrishnan, Business Head – Energy Systems at Reliance New Energy. “Our solar cell unit will be operational next month,” he added.

“With increasing electrification, the demand for electricity is rising. We are working toward offering round-the-clock renewable power at attractive price points, better than thermal power,” Ramakrishnan said.

According to company executives, significant progress has also been made on Reliance’s 40 GWh battery-storage project, with the first facility expected to become operational next year.

RIL aims to achieve net-carbon-zero status by 2035 through a fully integrated and globally competitive clean-energy platform. The combined manufacturing footprint — covering modules, cells, polysilicon, and batteries — spans roughly 44 million square feet, nearly four times the size of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Nevada, Karan Suri, Senior Vice-President, New Energy, said during a post-earnings call on July 18.

According to company executives, work is progressing at RIL’s renewable-energy round-the-clock (RE-RTC) project in Kutch, which is expected to begin production next year. The project aims to deliver uninterrupted renewable power at competitive tariffs, providing an alternative to conventional thermal generation amid India’s accelerating electrification drive.

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