Websol Secures West Bengal Land for 4GW Solar Plant

Websol Energy System has secured land and begun construction of a 4GW solar cell and module manufacturing facility in West Bengal, India, with the first phase operational by June 2027. The government of West Bengal allotted roughly 2.4 million square feet at the Falta Industrial Park in Kolkata for the facility, which will be constructed in two phases of 2GW each.

Websol’s 4GW new solar cell and module manufacturing facility is part of a broader trend of Indian companies ramping up solar cell capacity. The second phase is scheduled for June 2028. The land was secured about a month after Websol shifted the location of the 4GW cell and module facility from Andhra Pradesh to West Bengal. Websol indicated the relocation would not affect the timeline for the INR30 billion, or US$310 million, expansion.

Strategic Location and Operational Continuity

The new plant will be located close to Websol's existing solar manufacturing operations at the Falta Special Economic Zone. Websol’s existing presence in West Bengal provides access to skilled workers, established supplier relationships, and familiarity with the local manufacturing ecosystem. Websol said the expansion gives it access to an available base of skilled workers, established supplier relationships, and familiarity with the local ecosystem.

The company already operates a solar cell and module factory in the Falta Special Economic Zone. Websol’s existing Falta SEZ facility has 1.2 GW annual solar cell production capacity and 550 MW annual module capacity. At the existing site, Websol operates 1.2GW of passivated emitter rear contact cell capacity. Websol currently has 1.2GW of PERC cell manufacturing capacity in operation at the existing site.

India's Solar Manufacturing Capacity Gap

India's current solar cell capacity falls short of demand, creating opportunity for new capacity to address domestic module requirements and import reduction goals. Solar cell annual nameplate capacity in India is slightly over 40GW, based on the ALMM List-II for solar cells. There is a significant imbalance between nameplate capacity for solar cells and modules in India, similar to the US.

India has surpassed 233GW of annual nameplate capacity at the module level. This module capacity represents more than threefold the current demand in India for solar PV, which stands at 65GW. Websol primarily supplies cells to the Indian market, including module manufacturers seeking to comply with domestic content requirement rules. The existing PERC cell capacity is on the government’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers.

Websol is among the manufacturers on India’s Approved List of Models and Manufacturers for solar cells. Websol manufactures solar cells and modules and sells its modules in India and overseas. The company was founded in 1990 and is chaired by Sohan Lal Agarwal, with Sanjana Khaitan serving as executive director. Websol's production lines can process wafers up to 210 mm. The first phase is forecast to begin operations in June 2027.