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The fact that the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)'s task force on solar energy has called upon the Government to make participating firms liable in case of non-performance is very refreshing.

The task force, chaired by Mr K. Subramanya, Chief Executive Officer, Tata BP Solar, said that it is crucial that the Government make producers face legal recourse in case of non-performance in the solar industry. The members of the task force also suggested the use of Indian products to policy makers as it would be difficult to make non-Indian companies liable. Also, in the name of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), environmentally unfriendly technologies entering India should be avoided, they said.

At a meeting with Government officials, the task force mentioned Indian products are on a par with the world's best on quality and reliability but cannot be expected to parallel China on the price front as economic settings are different in the two countries, with China handing out tax breaks and infrastructure at low cost.

The task force comprised manufacturers of photovoltaic cells and modules, systems integrators and power project developers. The Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Dr Farooq Abdullah; the Union Minister for Power, Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde; the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia; the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr T.K.A. Nair; and the Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr R.P. Singh; the Member (Energy) of Planning Commission, Mr B.K. Chaturvedi, were among those at the meeting.

The task force expressed apprehension about the selection criteria for projects exceeding the Phase-1 target of 1000 MV. The members said that this selection method is too ambitious and too early for an industry that is still in infancy. The selection process could result in underbidding, which is precisely why Spain, Germany and Italy have avoided participation, the members said. At the meeting, differences in incentives for Indian manufacturer's vis-à-vis international (Chinese) modules should be addressed and a level playing field for all players was called for to address the challenge of long-term cost competitiveness of the Indian industry.

Whatever the final small-print dictates, there is no doubt that India is determined to prove its quality on the international stage…rather than fall back on the stereotype of cheap pricing.

Happy reading,



Andy Skillen
Publishing Director