The document explores India's emergence as a leading low-cost producer of solar energy while highlighting the challenges faced by the solar cell manufacturing industry, including high non-performing assets and reliance on imports. Despite India's ambitious solar energy expansion, local manufacturers like Indosolar struggle with order shortages, leading to bankruptcy and calls for government support. The research suggests potential opportunities for export and innovative uses of solar power but emphasizes the ongoing turmoil in the sector.

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Sunset: A case study research into the deep turmoil facing the solar
cell manufacturing and the solar power generating industry in India.
Dr. Rejoice Thomas and Akkaraju Sailesh Chandra
Department of Professional Studies ( Christ ( Deemed to be) University)

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Introduction:
India will be a power surplus country this fiscal (2018-19) according to the Central
Electricity Authority (Central Electricity Authority, 2018). In addition India has
become the lowest cost producer of solar energy (the International Renewable
Energy Agency (IRENA), 2019). This has dropped substantially over the last
decade and it seems to be on the same trend which will probably make power
shortage in India a thing of the past. This will be good for economy, business and
exports (including power exports. So indeed this should be a great milestone.
However there is a deep dark side, which this research seeks to explore. This
case study research seeks to take the form of exploratory research. Case study
research is often appropriate to explore an industry or an economy (Yin, 2003).

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Installed Cost by Country

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Per Capita consumption by Country
China 6,310,000,000,000 1,403,500,365 2017 4,475 510
United
States
3,911,000,000,000 323,995,528 2016 12,071 1,377
India 1,408,624,400,000 1,266,883,598 2016 1,122 128

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Cost of Electricity by Source
● levelised cost of electricity generation from fossil fuel at around $44.5 per
MWh (Rs 3.05 per unit) in India, is the cheapest in the region. It is followed by
China at $48.5 per MWh (Rs 3.33 per unit) and Australia at $50.9 per MWh
(Rs 3.49 per unit) among other 12 countries in the region.
● Levelised cost of solar power generation in India according to the study,
estimated at around $38.2 MWh (Rs 2.62 per unit), is also the lowest. It is
followed by Australia at $52.7 per MWh (Rs 3.62 p ..
● India’s levelised cost of onshore wind power generation, estimated at $48.9
per MWh (Rs 3.36 per unit) is cheapest in the region. It is followed by
Australia at $74.6 per MWh which translates to Rs 5.12 per unit
( Source Mackenzie)

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Power Sector NPAs
● $ 144 Billion in NPA

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Import woes of Solar Cells
● India imposed a safeguard duty in July 2018 for two years. The duty was
pegged at 25% for the first year, 20% for the next six months, and 15% for the
last six-month period.
● Before it was imposed, around 90% of solar panels and modules used in local
solar projects were imported, mostly from China and Malaysia, as they were
cheaper than locally manufactured ones.
● The imposition of safeguard duty has not changed the situation.

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Solar Cell Import growth

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Case Study of Indo Solar
● Herein lies the irony. Why is India’s largest solar cell maker not producing at a
time when the country is in the midst of implementing its most ambitious and
arguably the world’s quickest solar energy mission?
● The answer is simple, yet perplexing. “We have no orders,” says Rahul
Gupta, who set up Indosolar in 2009. “We took the pains to get the most
modern manufacturing units designed in Austria. Our in-house research and
development increased the efficiency of our cells remarkably. As Rajasthan
and Gujarat have gone into an overdrive and are installing hundreds of
megawatts of solar energy, it should have been heydays for Indian
manufacturers. Instead, there is bankruptcy, loan restructuring and pleas to
the government for support against international competition,” he rues.

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Further Research
● Possibilities in export of Power to make the power sector viable
● Value added uses of solar power such as:
○ Artificial Photosynthesis
○ Solar desalination

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Bibliography
● Business Standard. (2019, April 2). SC quashes RBI insolvency circular, relief
for power assets worth Rs 2-trn. Retrieved July 2019, 2019, from Business
Standard: https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/sc-quashes-
rbi-insolvency-circular-relief-for-rs-2-trn-of-power-assets-
119040200281_1.html
● Central Electricity Authority. (2018, August 5). India to be power surplus in
2018-19: Central Electricity Authority . Retrieved July 14, 2019, from The
Economic Times:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/power/india-to-be-
power-surplus-in-2018-19-central-electricity-
authority/articleshow/65278344.cms?from=mdr

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Bibliography
● Giving solar power a leg-up. (2019, June 10). Retrieved July 14, 2019, from
Hindu Business Line:
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/editorial/solar-capacity-has-
increased-sharply-in-recent-years-but-rooftop-solar-needs-a-policy-
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● https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/the-hidden-costs-of-green-
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https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/the-hidden-costs-of-green-
energy/article25508071.ece
● Lari Shanlang Tiewsoh 1, J. J. (2019). Electricity Generation in India: Present
State, Future. Energies , 1-14.

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Bibliography
● Live Mint. (2019, May 6). Discom debt to swing back to pre-UDAY level of ₹2.6 lakh
crore in FY20: Crisil. Retrieved July 14, 2019, from Live Mint:
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level-of-rs-2-6-lakh-crore-in-fy20-crisil-1557139427731.html
● Singh, K. (2019, January 1). 2018 showed why import duties can’t save India’s solar-
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2018/?utm_source=YPL&yptr=yahoo
● the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). (2019, May 30). India
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research design and methods (p. 1). London: Sage Publications.

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