Lanco Solar, a unit of the Hyderabad-based Lanco Group, would kick-start the 300 mw photovoltaic (PV) solar cell manufacturing plant in the special economic zone (SEZ) in Rajnandgaon of Chhattisgarh next year.

Satyendra Kumar, Chief Technology Officer, Lanco Solar said that by next year Lanco will be able to produce solar cells and the facility would be able to produce 300 mw cells when completely done. At present, the plant manufactures only solar modules. The group is investing Rs 3,000 crore in the unit. The manufacturing project is expected to generate $300 million in revenue for the cash–starved Lanco Group. According to the initial plan, the plant would export nearly 15 per cent of its solar cells. The raw material, metallurgical silicon, will be imported. Lanco has tied up with US-based GT Solar to provide key technology to be used in the plant.

Solar manufacturers in India, under the banner of SEMI India, have said the government should incentivise local manufacturing in the latest phase of the National Solar Mission. The players, while claiming free and fair competition, want some of the capacities to be reserved for local equipment.

Reports say that of the 551 mw of grid-connected solar power plants in the last three years, 391 mw of capacity has used foreign solar cells or modules.