Manufacturing

In its second monthly column for pv magazine, the Becquerel Institute explains that Europe has vast commercial and industrial rooftops suitable for solar, but decades-old structural limits block conventional PV panels, creating an 85 GW untapped potential. Lightweight PV modules, commercially available and up to 50% lighter, can unlock this constrained market, meeting regulatory, economic, and technical needs for solar deployment across the continent.

PowerHive, the battery and energy storage arm of Vikram Solar, has launched its VION lithium battery product range, marking the company’s entry into distributed battery storage for electric mobility and residential energy backup.

Ashok Leyland, a Hinduja Group-owned commercial vehicle manufacturer, has begun the construction of a greenfield EV battery pack manufacturing facility at Pillaipakkam near Chennai. The project would entail an investment of INR 400-500 crore.

The Chinese manufacturer said its new back-contact module delivers up to 545 W and over 25% efficiency in a compact rooftop format for residential, C&I, and off-grid applications.

Eastman Auto & Power today announced that it has operationalized an 800 MW solar PV module manufacturing facility in Sonipat, Haryana.

Energy requirements evolve over time, and solar systems must be designed with adaptability in mind. Design-led innovation supports scalability through modular architectures that allow systems to expand or integrate complementary technologies such as energy storage.

GREW Solar has secured a repeat order worth approximately INR 500 crore from a domestic independent power producer (IPP) for the supply of its high-efficiency M10R TOPCon PV modules. The modules will be deployed at the developer’s upcoming utility-scale solar projects across multiple locations in India.

The Chinese manufacturer has launched a fire-resistant version of its Hi-MO X10 module for distributed PV applications, featuring back-contact technology and up to 24.8% efficiency. The company says the module adds enhanced fire-safety design to address rooftop PV risks such as hot spots and DC arcing.

Waaree Solar Americas Inc. has entered into a share subscription agreement with United Solar Holdings Inc., a Cayman Islands-based polysilicon producer, to subscribe to around 5.37 million Series B preferred shares for about $30 million.

NavPrakriti, a Kolkata-headquartered lithium-ion battery recycler, has entered into a strategic partnership with NASH Energy, a NASH Group company focused on advanced battery manufacturing and energy storage solutions, to ensure responsible end-of-life management of all batteries produced by NASH Energy, including production scrap.