India made remarkable strides in the solar energy sector in 2023, adding a staggering 24 GW of solar module and cell capacity. Gujarat spearheaded this expansion, followed closely by Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu.
Throughout the calendar year, the country augmented its solar module manufacturing capacity by 20.8 GW and solar cell capacity by 3.2 GW, reaching cumulative figures of 64.5 GW and 5.8 GW respectively by December 2023.
Gujarat emerged as the frontrunner in photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing capacity, constituting 46.1% of the country’s solar module capacity by the year’s end. Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu secured the second and third positions, contributing 9.3% and 7.6% respectively to the national solar module production capacity.
Telangana boasted the highest annual solar cell production capacity, accounting for 39% of the country’s total. Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh followed suit, contributing 34.7% and 13.9% of the nation’s total solar cell production capacities.
Despite achieving self-sufficiency in solar module production, India continues to strive for substantial capacity in solar cell manufacturing, as remarked by Union Minister R K Singh.
The surge in manufacturing capacity in 2023 was fueled by the anticipation of the reimposition of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) order, scheduled to begin in April 2024, alongside potential export prospects.
In terms of manufacturing capacity concentration, the top 10 manufacturers accounted for 62% of module production and the entire cell production capacity by December 2023.
