Wednesday, May 29, 2013: While the domestic manufacturing sector is making strong efforts to stop the import of cheaper imported equipment, First Solar, a US based manufacturer is already looking at a 25 per cent market share in the current scheme of affairs. First Solar is confident to get a fair share in the next three years. However, First Solar can also expect tough competition from manufacturers in EU and China who are fighting hard for their share in the Indian market.
James Hughes, CEO, First Solar, said that Chinese panel manufacturers are indeed a tough competition in the Indian market. Hughes’ company has supplied about 365 MW panels towards the ongoing solar projects in the country. This also amounts to 20 per cent of the market share.
Domestic manufacturers, on the other hand are perturbed and have already filed an anti-dumping case. The cases were filed against 10 panel manufacturers based in four countries and this includes US. The low priced panels that they are providing are hurting the domestic business.
Hughes, however, signed off the allegations and said that the company is here to compete with other manufacturers in providing low cost panels and they have no reason to worry with the anti-dumping cases. He added that this competition could only be beneficial to the domestic players. The first phase of the National Solar Mission also saw 70 per cent of imported products being used.
In the first phase of the project, First Solar had provided solar panels amounting to 200 MW and by 2016, this capacity is expected to go up to 10 GW. According to Hughes, the Indian solar industry is in a growing phase and could be a very attractive market to investors such as themselves. They are eyeing the captive generation market, rooftop solutions and off-grid solutions as a major opportunity in India.
