UK-based Power Roll has announced an agreement with Thermax Group, a Pune-headquartered energy and environment solutions provider, to develop the market for its lightweight, flexible solar film in India.
Power Roll claims its solar film technology can produce up to 20 times cheaper electricity than existing flexible PV and is on track to deliver the lowest levelized cost of electricity for any solar technology. The film is 25 times lighter than silicon PV and has a 20 times smaller carbon footprint.
The film can be manufactured using high-speed roll-to-roll production processes, which eliminates many costly process steps typical of other solar photovoltaic technologies.
Power Roll views India as one of the most strategic markets for its technology and has, therefore, set up a business operation in India to support regional growth.
As per the agreement, Power Roll will collaborate with Thermax to assess the market potential for scale manufacturing and deployment of Power Roll’s unique solar film in India. The two companies will jointly identify applications for lightweight solar film and green energy solutions for the region. Over the agreement period, the parties will share knowledge on the low-cost production processes, efficiency and identify compelling use cases for solar film in India.
Image: Power Roll
A successful conclusion to the agreement will see Thermax become a licensee of Power Roll’s technology for commercial manufacture and sale of solar film in India, read the company statement.
Opportunity
Neil Spann, chief executive officer, Power Roll, sees a huge potential for their solar film in India and views Thermax as an ideal manufacturing partner to cater to the market.
“Thermax has the right mix of renewable energy and manufacturing expertise, as well as the size and scale, to be a successful manufacturing partner in India. Our technology licensing model is perfectly aligned with the country’s ‘Make in India’ self-reliant strategy and world-leading ambition to deploy 280 GW of solar energy by 2030,” Spann said.
Thermax’s business portfolio includes heating, cooling, water and waste management, and specialty chemicals. The company also designs, builds, and commissions turnkey solar power plants (both rooftop and ground-mount).
Power Roll’s lightweight solar film and disruptive price point will expand the range of applications for solar energy. By applying different coatings to its versatile microgroove design, the film can also be used for energy storage and to manufacture capacitors.
“We look forward to this partnership as a lever to increase the adoption of solar technology for a variety of applications in line with India’s ambitious renewable energy targets,” said Ashish Bhandari, MD & CEO, Thermax.
The agreement with Thermax follows Power Roll’s recent partnership with one of Japan’s leading energy companies to establish the market potential and use cases for solar film in Japan.
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