"RIL to Begin Solar Photovoltaic Module Production by Year-End"

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) will begin production of its own solar photovoltaic (PV) modules by the end of the year as part of its new energy business. The announcement was made by Chairman Mukesh Ambani during the company's annual general meeting.

“In the coming quarters, we will complete the first phase of our integrated solar production facilities, which will include modules, cells, glass, wafer, ingot, and polysilicon. The initial annual capacity will be 10 GW. Our giga-factory is designed for modular expansion at minimal cost and in the shortest time possible,” Ambani stated.

To further enhance its capabilities, RIL has established a state-of-the-art prototyping, testing, and validation lab in India and is expanding its Advanced Solar Technology Lab in Singapore.

RIL is also advancing its battery manufacturing capabilities. Construction has begun on an integrated advanced chemistry-based battery manufacturing facility at Jamnagar, with a 30 GWh annual capacity. Production is set to begin by the second half of next year. The facility will initially focus on assembling Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for utility-scale applications and pack solutions for various markets, including residential, commercial, industrial, telecom, and mobility. Over the next few quarters, RIL plans to integrate backward into cell manufacturing and eventually into battery chemicals production.

Additionally, RIL has started work on a fully automated, multi-GW electrolyser manufacturing facility on the west coast of India, expected to be ready by 2026. This facility, designed using Industry 4.0 standards, will support multiple technologies like Alkaline, PEM, and AEM and can be expanded modularly to meet market demand.

RIL has also leased arid wasteland in Kutch, approximately 250 km from Jamnagar, which has the potential to generate about 150 billion units of electricity over the next decade, meeting nearly 10% of India’s energy requirements. The company has begun significant project development work and is building its own transmission infrastructure to bring online solar generation projects that will deliver stable, renewable energy on a round-the-clock basis (RE-RTC) at GW scale, starting in 2026. Ambani highlighted the company's use of AI and data-driven approaches to deliver the most affordable and stable RE-RTC power in the shortest time.

Furthermore, RIL has secured access to nearly 2,000 acres of land at Kandla port, complementing the existing marine infrastructure at Jamnagar. This integrated coastal infrastructure will provide a competitive advantage for the production, storage, evacuation, and shipping of green fuels to various markets in India and globally, ensuring the highest value for RIL’s green fuel molecules.

HBL