RENA and Growel plan to manufacture and service solar wet processing equipment in India from early 2027
The JV aims to reduce India’s reliance on imported equipment, primarily sourced from Germany and China at present
It will cover the development, manufacturing, assembly, sale, and servicing of wet chemical processing equipment, additives, and related PV technologies
German solar equipment manufacturer RENA Technologies and Indian industrial company Grauer & Weil India Limited (Growel) have announced plans for a joint venture (JV) in India to manufacture and service wet chemical processing equipment for the solar PV industry.
The partnership aims to strengthen local manufacturing capabilities and reduce reliance on imported equipment, with operations expected to begin in early 2027. 
Currently, India depends on imported advanced wet processing equipment, sourced primarily from Germany and China. The partners claim that the JV will boost productivity and competitiveness of solar manufacturers in India.
Wet chemical processing is a step in solar cell manufacturing where silicon wafers are treated with chemical solutions to remove surface damage, clean the wafers, and create textured surfaces that reflect less sunlight. These treatments help prepare wafers for subsequent manufacturing steps and are used in technologies such as TOPCon, HJT, and back-contact solar cells.
Under the memorandum of understanding (MoU), RENA will contribute its proprietary technology, while industrial surface-finishing expert Growel brings its experience of the Indian industrial landscape to the JV.
RENA Technologies COO Sebastian Kress said a local manufacturing setup will enable local service for this tool within India and expand its presence in this growing market.
The German company has been steadily growing its clientele in the Indian market. Earlier this year, it bagged a 1.2 GW TOPCon wet processing equipment order from CELLORAA Energy, and a 6 GW TOPCon solar cell production equipment order from India’s EMMVEE.
Recently, EMMVEE reported achieving up to 25.4% efficiency for M10 TOPCon cells using equipment from RENA, centrotherm, and halm (see EMMVEE Achieves 25.4% TOPCon Solar Cell Efficiency).
The partnership comes as India looks to build domestic capabilities in solar manufacturing equipment, an area where it remains reliant on imports. A May 2026 report by CEEW identified imported machinery and dependence on foreign technical expertise as challenges for Indian solar cell manufacturers, recommending support for local equipment production.
RENA is among the participating companies in TaiyangNews Market Survey on Solar Cell Production Equipment 2025 (see RENA Systems For Single-Side Etching & Edge Isolation).
TaiyangNews 2024

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