Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), India’s largest conglomerate, announced the commissioning of its first gigawatt-scale (GW) heterojunction (HJT) solar module production line—part of a planned 10 GW annual capacity—at its green energy manufacturing hub in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The line, producing modules with peak power ratings of 720W and certified by India’s Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), marks a milestone in RIL’s $10 billion clean energy investment strategy, as disclosed by CFO V. Srikanth during the company’s FY2024 Q4 earnings call.
RIL’s solar manufacturing plans, first unveiled in 2022, envision five GW-scale factories spanning polysilicon, cells, modules, battery storage, electrolyzers, and power electronics. The solar complex aims for full vertical integration—from polysilicon ingots to modules—with an initial 10 GW target, expandable to 20 GW in phases. The company also targets a 26% efficiency rating for its HJT modules by 2026, aligning with global N-type technology benchmarks.
“Our engineering designs are complete, and long-lead equipment procurement is accelerating,” Srikanth stated, projecting full operational readiness across all factories by early 2026. He emphasized RIL’s edge in scale and automation, asserting that in-house production would deliver “superior cost economics and reliability” compared to imports, a critical factor as India aims to cut solar module reliance on China from 85% to 50% by 2030.
Subrahmanyam Pulipaka, CEO of the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), underscored the strategic impact at the Solar Technology Conference.India 2025 (STC.I 2025) in New Delhi: “RIL’s entry could double India’s module capacity to 160 GW by 2027 and accelerate HJT’s market share from 5% to 20%.” India’s current module manufacturing capacity stands at 80 GW, with 70% reliant on imported cells.
Analysts note RIL’s integration model—combining polysilicon, wafer, cell, and module production—as a rarity in India, where most firms focus on assembly. This approach, paired with RIL’s $75 billion cash reserves, positions it to compete with global majors like LONGi and JinkoSolar, which dominate India’s 25 GW annual module demand.
