From solar panels to batteries, Mukesh Ambani outlines Reliance's clean energy manufacturing plans

Aug. 29, 2024, 11:35 a.m.

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Mukesh Ambani has outlined Reliance’s ambitious clean energy plans that range from manufacturing solar power systems to electric batteries.

Addressing the 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Chairman Ambani said the company is working on a facility in Gujarat’s Jamnagar which will be world’s only fully integrated battery giga-factory.

By the end of the year, the RIL will start working on solar power systems’ manufacturing, said Ambani.

“I am delighted to announce that by the end of this year, we will commence the production of our own solar photo-voltaic (PV) modules. In the following quarters, we will complete the first phase of our integrated solar production facilities. This includes modules, cells, glass, wafer, ingot, and polysilicon, with an initial annual capacity of 10 GW,” said Ambani.

Ambani emphasized how acquisitions have propelled India's clean energy research and development (R&D), stating that RIL has fully integrated and localized the heterojunction technology (HJT) acquired from REC Singapore, its wholly-owned subsidiary. This has enabled the creation of first-generation bifacial solar panels with cell efficiency surpassing 26 percent.

Jamnagar will be Energy Capital of the World: Ambani

Ambani declared that RIL's clean energy initiatives will establish Jamnagar, Gujarat, as the global leader in energy.

Ambani revealed that construction is underway on an integrated advanced chemistry-based battery manufacturing facility with an annual capacity of 30 GWh. Production is slated to commence in the second half of 2025.

This facility will be the world's only fully integrated battery gigafactory, Ambani announced.

“We will start by assembling Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for utility scale applications and pack solutions for residential, commercial, industrial, telecom, and mobility markets. Progressively, over the next few quarters, we will integrate backward to cell manufacturing and eventually to battery chemicals production,” said Ambani.

What sets apart Reliance from the rest is the company’s “deep understanding of electro-chemistry, combined with our ability to industrialise at scale and integrate with low-cost solar energy” which allows the delivery of green hydrogen and green fuels at the most economical cost, said Ambani.

Advertisement To achieve these goals, RIL is investing up to Rs 75,000 crore to build the necessary manufacturing infrastructure, Ambani revealed.

“Our complete ownership and automation of the integrated value chains will allow us to maximise margins that are higher than those of stand-alone, non-integrated players,” said Ambani.