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5 Reasons Why Indian Manufacturers Are Shifting To G12R-Based Solar Cells Photograph: (AI)
India’s solar manufacturing industry is increasingly converging around G12R as manufacturers prepare for a market where higher module wattages, domestic cell availability and balance-of-system economics are becoming increasingly important.
The shift has become particularly visible in recent months. When the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II for solar cells began taking shape, several manufacturers started adding or transitioning their cell portfolios towards G12R-based TOPCon technology. The latest ALMM-II revision in August has made the trend even clearer, with Emmvee Energy, Waaree Energies and Avaada Electro adding G12R variants to their listed portfolios. 
The direction was also becoming visible on the module side. During Intersolar India 2026, manufacturers were increasingly showcasing higher-wattage G12R products. For instance, Kosol Energie showcased a 650 Wp+ G12R module range and highlighted the technology’s higher power density and compatibility with existing trackers. Gautam Solar, Credence, Solitech and majority of the comapanies we talked to talked about shifting to  the new attraction. RenewSys, for example, has also marketed 132-cell G12R TOPCon modules, while Navitas has promoted N-type G12R modules.
Premier Energies has been among the early movers. In an investor interaction earlier this year, Premier’s management said the company was one of the first Indian manufacturers to move into G12R cells and that its 7 GW cell line was based on G12R. The company also said that, as in China, Indian manufacturers would increasingly have to migrate towards G12R as new cell lines are built and older lines are upgraded. 
So, why is G12R emerging as the preferred format for India’s next phase of cell and module manufacturing?
The fundamental attraction of G12R is its rectangular architecture. A typical G12R cell measures around 182.3 mm × 210 mm, compared with the approximately 210 mm × 210 mm dimensions associated with conventional G12. The format therefore provides much of the power-generation advantage of larger-format cells while allowing manufacturers to keep module dimensions within a more manageable envelope.
This becomes particularly relevant as module manufacturers push beyond the 600 W threshold. Avaada Electro, for instance, already offers G12R modules up to 630 Wp, while Kosol showcased 650 Wp+ G12R products at Intersolar India. Credence talks about modules with upto 730Wp capacity. 
The result is greater module power without simply making the module proportionally wider or creating the same installation challenges associated with some larger-format designs. For developers, that translates into more generation capacity from each module while retaining relatively practical module dimensions.
The industry is chasing lower BOS costs, not just higher cell efficiency. The G12R transition is not simply a race to achieve another fraction of a percentage point in cell efficiency.
Higher-wattage modules mean fewer modules are required for a given project capacity. That can reduce the number of module-to-module connections, mounting structures, cables and other balance-of-system components required per MW. This is particularly important for utility-scale solar, where small savings in module count and BOS components can compound across hundreds of megawatts.
Companies, for example, specifically highlighted the potential for its high-power G12/G12R products to reduce land footprint and cabling costs. This is one reason the technology is gaining attention even where the difference in cell efficiency alone may not appear dramatic. The industry is increasingly evaluating modules on their contribution to the overall LCOE of a project rather than simply their nameplate efficiency.
India’s cell manufacturing expansion is happening predominantly around n-type TOPCon. The latest ALMM-II revisions provide a clear indication of this direction. Premier Energies added a G12R TOPCon model earlier in the year, while the latest revision saw Emmvee, Waaree and Avaada add G12R TOPCon variants.
Emmvee’s new G12R cell, for example, is a 182.3 mm × 210 mm, 16-busbar bifacial TOPCon cell with an average efficiency of 25.60%. Waaree has similarly moved from its earlier M10R TOPCon cell to a G12R 16BB design. Avaada has expanded from G12 18BB TOPCon cells to G12R 16BB variants.
This matters because manufacturers making fresh investments have little incentive to install production lines around formats that are already losing market share globally. India is therefore not developing G12R in isolation. It is increasingly following the technology direction established in the larger global PV manufacturing ecosystem.
Premier Energies’ management made this point particularly clearly, saying that 80–90% of China’s market had moved towards G12R and that new cell lines would increasingly be based around G12R or G12. 
The timing of the G12R shift is particularly important. From June 1, 2026, solar modules covered by the ALMM framework have to use cells from manufacturers and models included in ALMM List-II. MNRE’s rules effectively link module eligibility to the approved domestic cell supply chain. 
That changes the investment calculus for Indian manufacturers. A module company planning a large domestic manufacturing operation cannot simply choose a cell format based on what was popular two or three years ago. It needs to anticipate what developers and module buyers will demand during the useful life of the new production line.
This is already encouraging greater vertical integration. Saur Energy’s analysis has noted that more than 40 Indian module manufacturers had confirmed plans to enter cell manufacturing, while the ALMM-II framework is increasing the strategic importance of securing domestic cell supply. G12R therefore becomes more than a technology choice. It is increasingly a capacity-planning decision.
Manufacturers investing billions of rupees in new cell lines want those lines to remain commercially relevant for years rather than becoming stranded around older M10 architectures.
The transition is also attractive because manufacturers don’t necessarily have to rebuild their entire businesses from scratch. The latest ALMM changes show companies progressively moving their portfolios from M10/M10R or G12 towards G12R rather than simply abandoning existing manufacturing operations.
Waaree’s latest listing, for example, represents a transition from an M10R TOPCon cell to a G12R 16BB cell. Emmvee has added G12R alongside its earlier M10 listing, while Avaada has expanded from G12 to G12R. There is nevertheless a cost.
Premier Energies has noted that upgrading existing lines can temporarily reduce production while the equipment is reconfigured and brought back to optimum efficiency. Waaree has also faced a temporary production drag during its G12R transition, with management expecting production to improve once the converted lines stabilise. 
But manufacturers appear willing to absorb that disruption because remaining on older formats could ultimately be a bigger commercial risk. 
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