We Aim to Create a Greener Future for the Country- Trina Solar
Founded in 1997 in China, Trina Solar is mainly involved in research and development, production and sales of PV modules, PV power generation, operation and maintenance service, as well as the operation of energy cloud platforms – committing to lead the way in smart solar energy solutions for a net-zero future. From its inception, Trina Solar has broken 25 world records in terms of PV cell efficiency and module output power, and has exceeded 120GW of cumulative shipments of PV modules, worldwide. Today, Trina Solar’s global footprint reaches over 100 countries where they sell their innovative product line, including India. During a conversation with Nitisha; Gaurav Mathur, India Head, Trina Solar shares his future plans and upcoming offerings.
Kindly talk about Trina Solar and its current projects in India.
Trina Solar is a market leader in solar panel manufacturing with a strong global presence. It was founded in 1997 in China and gradually expanded to more than 150 countries. In the first quarter of 2023, Trina Solar shipped more than 65GW 210mm modules globally – ranking us first with a market share of over 50%. In India, we entered the market in 2010, and ever since, we have shipped over 8GW of solar modules – accounting for almost 10% of India’s total installations.
This year, we have signed agreement worth over 1GW of solar capacity that helps us to boost our market share in India, especially within the utility-scale segment. For instance, we recently concluded a project with a leading solar company in India supplying modules worth 160 MW. Having said that, our business in the commercial and industrial (C&I) segment is also gaining traction. We are seeing an increased demand for our solar modules in the MSME sector – textile industry, to be particular, from the western part of India.
Trina Solar has been successful in India because of our cutting-edge solar technology. Taking this further, we are looking to launch our first high-efficiency n-type solar PV module in India. The module, at the moment, is under evaluation by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and we will launch once it receives the certification.
With our offerings, we look forward to deepening our relationship with our partners in India, providing them with the high performance, high power and high efficiency solar modules they need to create a greener future for the country.
Kindly talk about solar and its benefits, especially for MSMEs.
India, today, has millions of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and are the growth engine of the economy. Power remains one of the largest components in the input cost of an MSME. As per the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, the MSME industry accounts for close to 50% of the total energy consumption by the country’s industrial sector. To meet these requirements, the sector continues to be heavily reliant upon a wide range of fossil fuel-based energy sources despite the increasing fuel prices and emissions.
However, the industry has witnessed a paradigm shift. Over the years, due to government policies, to push adoption of solar energy, the falling costs of solar, tax incentives and increased awareness have resulted in rooftop solar growth in MSMEs. The government data states the potential of rooftop solar installation within this segment is estimated to be about 15GW. Despite this, the solar adoption in MSMEs have had a slow uptake.
Solar power is a reliable source of energy. MSMEs can use it to make changes to their energy requirements. With many benefits, such as low maintenance and servicing requirements, and high output, solar energy can be very profitable. One of the critical drivers of solar adoption by MSMEs is affordability. Rooftop solar systems have become affordable and are available at economical prices. Businesses should consider this more of an investment than an expense. Also, installing a solar power source has good returns. The output peak over the years allows businesses to cover the initial installation investment within a short period of time. Another driver is the cost savings due to reduced energy bills. Usually, industrial energy bills have an impact on budgets, especially for small businesses. But MSMEs can observe a significant reduction in energy bills post the installation of solar systems.
Lastly, these days, many large corporates are mandated to work on carbon emissions under the sustainability goals. This implies to their supply chain as well. It is not uncommon for large international businesses, especially in exports, to visit the MSMEs to check for green and environmentally friendly practices. Switching to solar energy makes MSMEs compliant to international standards, resulting in better business prospects.
What role Trina Solar plays in assisting India reach for its Renewable Energy targets?
In a bid to assist India meet its ambitious renewable energy targets, we will be launching our industry-leading n-type technology-powered modules. We also look to boost the commercial and industrial (C&I) rooftop solar installation projects in India. C&I developers usually want high power modules so they can maximize the power output from the limited roof space available. For this, we are also providing the upgraded Vertex 19R series modules. These modules feature the latest 210mm rectangular size (210R) solar cell and are compatible with most inverter models in the market, achieving higher DC/AC ratio at system level.
The Vertex module series, especially 540W, 550W and 670W, has been received well in India since they deliver higher power output and efficiency to developers. Our company’s solutions have recently been deployed at scale in the floating solar farm located in South India. It is one of the largest floating solar projects in India to date with a power capacity of over 100MW.
What kind of innovation & technology Trina Solar (deployment of new technology) is planning to introduce in future?
In India, to support the solar industry, we will soon be launching our Vertex N modules in the market. Unlike its predecessor, p-type modules, the n-type dual-glass bi-facial 210mm n-type solar modules have been designed to offer 685W maximum power output and up to 22.1% module efficiency. This technology, we believe, will be a ‘game changer’ in the industry and emerge as the ideal choice for developers of utility-scale and C&I projects.
We will also be offering integrated solutions that integrate both the module and the tracker and looking to launch our second-generation Vanguard 2P tracker soon. India, traditionally, has been a fixed-tilt market but our tracker solution will allow the bifacial modules to capture more sunlight throughout the day in a country that experiences more than 300 days of sunlight.
Finally, in the long run, another key focus will be the introduction of Trina Solar’s Elementa Battery Energy Storage Solution in India. This will be an additional piece to our total solutions offering.
Recently, Trina Solar has achieved the Top Brand PV Awards 2023. Kindly share your success mantra and future agenda to achieve such awards in coming years.
Trina Solar has been the preferred partner for developers across our operating markets because of our markets, ability to deliver large volumes on time, and the stability of our organisation. For instance, in India, we have strong customer relationships and are known for our high standard of after-sales service. Our customers like the fact that our staff have remained with Trina Solar for more than seven years.
From implementing net-zero operations to developing a net-zero value chain to manufacturing net-zero products, Trina Solar is committed to reducing carbon emissions for the benefit of society at every step of the way. Moving forward, Trina Solar will continue to work with all stakeholders to protect the biosphere, support global decarbonization initiatives, and make solar energy available to people everywhere.
Kindly share your plans for 2023 to expand and promote your business worldwide.
Trina Solar was founded 25 years ago as a manufacturer of solar modules but since then we have expanded our product portfolio to include, for example, trackers and storage. The company’s main businesses, including PV products, PV systems and smart energy, all registered strong growth.
This year we are highlighting our ability to provide integrated solutions and to be a ‘total solutions’ provider. We have expanded our design engineering and customer support team, enabling us to design and support entire solar plants.
This year will be a phenomenal year of growth for the company globally due to growing market demand for our products and Trina Solar’s expanded production capacity. For instance, Trina Solar’s module production capacity is forecast to reach 95GW by the end of the year while cell production capacity 75GW, with 40GW dedicated to n-type cells.
With its leading n-type i-TOPCon technology, comprehensive portfolio of all-scenario Vertex n-type products, high reliability, low carbon footprint, complete net-zero system, integrated n-type production capacity, and the convergence of an industry-leading ecosystem, Trina Solar has achieved a 360-degree leadership position, spearheading the era of n-type technology.
Kindly highlight the future expansion plans (launch of products, etc.)
Trina Solar continues to invest heavily in technological innovation. It obtained 173 new patents last year and now owns 1,159 patents. As an early mover with n-type technology, Trina Solar continues to innovate and to upgrade its product line. In the future, with the application of front-side full passivation contact cell technology, the mass production efficiency of Trina Solar’s n-type cells with i-TOPCon Ultra technology is forecast to exceed 27%. Furthermore, with the implementation of i-TOPCon tandem technology, cell efficiency is forecast to surpass 30%. Trina Solar’s 210mm n-type scenario-based solutions are tailored to operate in a wide range of settings, with lower BOS costs and LCOE to maximize customer value.
Trina Solar’s next-generation solutions for integrating PV systems and energy storage, demonstrating trends in technology applied to high-temperature lithium-ion battery energy storage systems without air conditioning. Trina Solar is pursuing breakthroughs in the high-potential energy storage segment with its technological advantages and safe and reliable products.
It is worthy of mentioning that the second-generation Vanguard 2P with its multi-motor control system, is highly reliable and easier to install than traditional mechanical drives. The tracker can be adapted to more complex application settings, reducing LCOE and improving customer ROI. The external raw materials used to manufacture the new Vanguard 2P are subjected to quality control in salt spray and to a cyclic corrosion test to ensure they are corrosion resistant in mudflats and coastal areas, and their water-resistant and dust-proof level reaches IP65 or above.
All these products demonstrate the company’s commitment to leading the way in smart solar energy solutions for a net-zero future.