Emerge Renewables starts up solar glass factory in India

Furnaces have been lit at a new solar glass manufacturing facility in northern India. Emerge Renewables said its factory, in the state of Rajasthan, will have a manufacturing capacity of 300 tonnes per day, enough to cover around 2.5 GW of PV modules per year.

While the company did not immediately answer further questions regarding qualification, supply agreements or the timeline for full-scale operations at the factory, it said in an announcement that it expects the full capacity to be sold out in “record time”, and that glass produced at the facility will meet global quality standards. The factory will produce solar glass at thickness between 1 mm and 5 mm.

In the northwest of India, Rajasthan and neighboring state Gujarat are the location for much of the country’s significant PV module manufacturing capacity. Domestic solar glass facilities have been slower to appear, likely due to high investment cost and energy requirements. An announcement from Emerge Renewables says the facility will be the first dedicated solar glass factory anywhere in Northern India, and will help manufacturers in the region to reduce lead times, inventory requirements, and dependence on imports.

Emerge Renewables is a newly established company, an offshoot of Delhi-headquartered Emerge Group which has produced sheet glass and glass bottles in India for the past 14 years. Emerge Group is in turn a part of Alstone Group, a manufacturer of building materials also based in Delhi.

Speaking at a ceremony for the lighting of furnaces at the factory, Emerge Renewables Managing Director Sumit Gupta said: “This project reflects our vision of building world-class manufacturing capabilities that support India’s clean energy ambitions. …we are committed to delivering high-quality solar glass that strengthens India’s renewable ecosystem and contributes to a more sustainable future.”