Government of India offering liberal incentives for growth of the solar and semiconductor industry in the last few years has created more awareness in the public about the advantages of solar energy and the need of semiconductor chips. India is the only country where there is a separate Ministry for Renewable Energy Viz., MNRE to frame the policy and monitor the RE program. Similarly Indian Semiconductor Mission (ISM), IESA (Indian Electronics and Semiconductor Association) with Meity are responsible to advise the government on policy matters related to ESDM (Electronics System Design and Manufacturing) and Semiconductor industry covering Chip design to its fabrication, packaging and testing. The success of these two sectors depends on strong base of Eco system, skilled manpower and adaptive technology.
Both solar and semiconductor industries depend on mono Silicon wafer as starting material in their production. For solar cell production it is an unpolished wafer of size 210 mm x 210 mm in thickness of 130 to 150 micron, whereas for semiconductor chip fabrication it is 200 mm or 300 mm dia mirror polished wafer of thickness more than 600 micron. The mono Silicon wafer is manufactured by growing Silicon ingots in a Czochralski Furnace and then sliced into wafers by using Diamond Wire Saw. The basic raw material for manufacturing Silicon ingot is Polysilicon with purity of 6N to 9N depending on solar or semiconductor application. The subject question is – where is polysilicon and wafer in the country to be self-reliant?
Many young engineers engaged in the chip design or solar module manufacturing may not be aware that two Indian companies in mid-1980’s manufactured Silicon wafers in India viz., Siltronics (India) Pvt Ltd and Metchem Silicon both located in Tamil Nadu delivering 4 inch dia wafers to BHEL and CEL cell lines then. India was leading in Solar module production in 1990 with 1.9 MW beating China with just 0.5 MW. In 1984, Hemlock, USA was ready to offer know how for manufacture of polysilicon in the country, but it was snubbed by the then Director of CSIR with a note that “the demand by CEL and BHEL and upcoming Semiconductor Complex will not generate demand for poly beyond 100 tonnes” (INDIA TODAY May 31, 1984). Times of India Aug 19, 1984 reported that the “Rs.90 Crore National Silicon facility with capacity 200 Tonne per year will be set up in Baroda and production by 1988 and the project will be handled by Engineers India Ltd with support of National Chemical laboratory, Pune.” Economics Times March 9, 1985 news read “proposal to set up silicon facility at Baroda Dropped “. Both Siltronics and Metchem closed down due to regulatory restrictions and very high duty imposed on raw materials and consumables. Even when JNNSM was announced first 20 GW and then increased to 100 GW, the focus was on module production by import of cells/ and all materials. However, Lanco Solar ventured into manufacture of polysilicon and installed couple of equipment, but it never took off. When Government announced allocation of funds under PLI scheme and increased target from 100 GW to 280 GW for solar by 2030,
The solar industry realised the need of wafers and polysilicon to be manufactured in the country. But it will take long time considering the project completion and production time.
As per recent published reports the PV installation has reached around 100 GW of set target of 280 GW, so there is gap of 180 GW to be completed by 2030. Again same reports state that module production capacity as of now is 90 GW and is expected to reach 150 GW by 2030 and cell capacity 55 GW by 2027 and wafer capacity 40 GW by 2030. Great expectation indeed but where is the wafer in the country for this magnitude of growth in next 5 years. In the same journal published on 17 Mar 2017 the author had suggested that Government should revive “ National Silicon Facility “ to manufacture polysilicon of 50 GW capacity. It is 8 years since then but no home-grown polysilicon in the country. For common man to understand, 1 GW cell production need 110 Million wafers which in turn need 3000 Ton polysilicon. Considering 40 GW wafer capacity country has to produce 120,000 Tons of poly to be totally self reliant.
Again the announcement of USD 18 Billion incentive to set up semiconductor fabs/OSAT/ATMP facility has invited many players to build the facility and ecosystem majorly in Gujarat District. Tata announced that they need 50,000 wafers per month. Dr. Ajit Manocha, SEMI President recently expressed that India needs to set up 10 Semiconductor fabs in the next 10 years to be self-reliant. Semiconductor industry has to depend solely on the import of polished wafers forever till any company in India is capable of manufacturing SEMI standard polished wafers. (it is history on record that Siltronics (India), where the author was Sales Manager, did produce wafers in 1983 for semiconductor and solar cell manufacture).
Recently the Chinese suppliers have resorted to distress sale of polysilicon, wafers, cells and modules as they are carrying heavy inventory. The polysilicon price reached its bottom price of USD 5 per kg by Chinese suppliers. But it is a temporary phase and price of poly will shoot up once inventory is sold out as demand by semiconductor and solar grade poly will rise globally. It is high time that Indian Government introduce some changes to their existing policy keeping in view the target and time frame. Here are some suggestions by the author to get into action mode.
1. To set up polysilicon plant by the PLI qualified vendors will take minimum 2 to 3 years and to set up ingot/wafer manufacturing plant will take minimum 12 to 18 months depending on the infrastructure and delivery of machinery. As the price of polysilicon is showing upward trend, it is high time that MMTC (Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation) enter into contract with manufacturers and import polysilicon for next 3 years. When Gold, Silver, Tin and Copper trading is controlled by MMTC why not Polysilicon as these metals are used in Electronics industry. This will motivate the cell and module manufacturers to invest in ingot and wafers manufacturing immediately.
2. Solar being National Mission, MNRE should involve NTPC, NMDC, EIL, ONGC, MECON to form a consortium and float “ National Silicon Bond” (similar to Gold Bond) to raise public money and invest in Polysilicon plant from MG Silicon grade onwards in the country to avoid monopoly by any single industry. For this idle/sick Public sector facility like HMT, ITI at various locations and other sick industry can be leased to investors as building , power, water and manpower is readily available. The investor can upgrade or modify in less time and at less cost compared to starting from greenfield which takes time in acquiring land and build the infrastructure. It is cell technology which is changing in short time compared to production of polysilicon, ingot and wafer. MNRE should have initiated the above strategy with national bodies mentioned above when they announced solar mission.
3. It is good to note that local manufacturers are venturing into manufacture of module materials like EVA, Backsheet, glass, Junction box, Al frame etc., to be self-reliant. Now it is time to manufacture equipment for solar industry. Government has taken initiative in this front too offering incentives, but response is poor as Chinese equipment price is competitive. One way to encourage domestic production of equipment is to allow import of sub assembly and critical components at Nil duty under incentive scheme for 3 years to establish and indigenize the parts in phased manner. When Brahmos and satellites can be built in India, it is possible to build equipment for wafer and cell production for domestic and export market.
MNRE is proposing to issue ALMM III for wafers to be effective from 1 Jun 2028 which is a good move and hope this prompts cell manufacturers as well new investors to venture into ingot and wafer production line.
Four-C-Tron with a team of 4 experts involved in manufacturing ingots and wafers has embarked on the mission to bring back the ingot growing technology and subsequently build the Crystal pullers locally with right partners. As first step, the team recently evaluated and qualified the puller by growing 12 inch dia N type ingot with resistivity 0.4 to 1.6 ohm cm suitable for TOPCON cell at puller manufacturing facility. Four-C-Tron is ready to submit detail proposal and associate preferably with cell manufacturers or new investors to share their expertise in establishing the ingot and wafer line from layout, equipment supply, consumables, utility planning, installation and training the staff either starting from a pilot plant at customer site to grow the first few crystals or GW scale production line.
