en.Wedoany.com Reported - Indian solar manufacturer Websol Energy System has initiated a brownfield conversion of a 600MW monocrystalline PERC cell production line, upgrading it to Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) technology. Upon project completion, the company's total TOPCon cell production capacity will reach 750MW, with overall cell manufacturing capacity rising from 1.2GW to 1.35GW, expected to be completed by March 2027.
The project involves an investment of approximately INR 2.7 billion (USD 28.3 million), with cell efficiency expected to exceed 25% after the upgrade. At that point, TOPCon capacity will account for approximately 55% of Websol's total cell manufacturing capacity.
Websol stated that rising demand for higher-efficiency cells in utility-scale projects and bulk tenders, coupled with the growing importance of per-module power output, will strengthen its product portfolio through this capacity expansion. The project is also part of the company's long-term plan to expand solar cell manufacturing capacity to 4GW in two phases.
In terms of production data, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027 (April to June 2026), Websol reported operating revenue of INR 3.7 billion, a year-on-year increase of 70%, compared to INR 2.2 billion in the same period last year. Module production increased from 50MW to 103MW, more than doubling year-on-year, while module capacity utilization rose from 39% to 81%. Cell production increased from 126MW to 259MW.
Managing Director Sohan Lal Agarwal stated: "The first quarter kicked off fiscal year 2027, and this is exactly the start we hoped for. Revenue grew 70% year-on-year, and both of our production lines operated near planned levels, with cell utilization at 92% and module utilization at 81%. Margins were lower than the same period last year because we sold more modules this quarter, and modules carry lower margins than solar cells."
Websol noted that increased module offtake indicates both module production lines are operating close to expected run rates. Upstream in the value chain, Websol is simultaneously advancing its integrated ingot and wafer manufacturing plans. Last year, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with Linton Crystal Technologies, a Rochester, New York-based supplier of Czochralski (CZ) crystal growth furnaces and process control systems, with both parties agreeing to explore the manufacturing of photovoltaic ingots and wafers in India. Websol plans to procure related production equipment from Linton. As the company progresses toward its planned 4GW cell capacity, Linton will provide equipment and technical support for its upstream expansion.
Websol operates a manufacturing facility in the Falta Special Economic Zone in West Bengal, with a current annual nameplate capacity of 1.2GW for solar cells and 550MW for modules. In April 2026, the facility's 600MW monocrystalline PERC P-type bifacial cell capacity was included in List-II of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) under India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), bringing Websol's total listed cell capacity to 1.2GW.
