August 17, 2020: The Indian government is planning to make land in port areas available to companies for the construction of solar equipment factories in a bid to reduce imports from China, local news outlet LiveMint reported citing two people in the know.
A senior government official, requesting not to be named, said that the ministry of new and renewable energy (MNRE) is holding talks with ports to offer land for solar equipment manufacturing.
India’s ministry of shipping and the MNRE did not provide a comment, the report states.
The government is said to be eyeing land near ports not only to make the domestic solar equipment production more cost-competitive, but also to facilitate exports.
Such a move would come not long after the Indian government decided to impose tariffs on solar cells, modules and inverters to make imported equipment from China and other manufacturing hubs in Southeast Asia costlier.
Around 80% of solar cells and modules used in Indian projects have been made in China, according to the report.
Source: Renewables Now
