India: Domestic Manufacturers Incensed by Government Plan to Import Solar Cells for National Solar Mission
Energy Boom
In India domestic solar manufacturers are up in arms over the government’s decision to supply its National Solar Mission with imported solar cells and modules from othercountries.
The government says adding imported solar equipment into theequation, along with domestic manufacturing, will allow for fastercommissioning of projects. The National Solar Mission aims to install20,000-megawatts of solar energy in India by 2020.
India’s solar manufacturers argue that this decision will open thedoor for cheaper and sub-standard equipment to be imported from China.
With the size of the the National Solar Mission, domestic companieswere hoping the government would institute a parameters which called for local sourcing of materials. Industry officials believe such a movewould boost investment and development of solar technology in India, aswell as be a boon for the economy.
As Ajay Prakash Shrivastava, president of Maharishi Solar Technologyexplains, "India has ample capacities to fulfill the objectives of theMission with best quality products and therefore, there is no need toallow the import of solar photovoltaic products from outside."
Read the full story at The Economic Times: Cos jittery as govt plans import of solar ower tools
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