China's Trina Solar launches solar energy kits for SME sector in India

Chinese solar energy solutions provider Trina Solar has launched solar energy kits under the brand Trinahome to cater to the renewable energy needs of households and small and medium enterprises (SME) sector in India. India is also Trina Solar's second largest market in Asia Pacific after China.

Trinahome will come in three sizes - 3 kilowatts (KW), 5 KW and 10 KW, and will contain all components such as the solar modules, an inverter, grid box, mounting system and other accessories as part of the all-in-one product pack.

With just 1.3 gigawatt (GW) installed capacity so far, rooftop or home solar energy solutions is still in its infancy in India.

The company is yet to reveal its pricing strategy, but said it will be competitive enough. On an average, solar panels can cost approximately Rs 50 per watt. Trina will be the first organised player in this segment, otherwise known for individual installations by local enterprises.

While India has seen solar power generation of about 22 GW in the power utility segment, it is early days for residential and commercial solutions.

The Indian government has set a goal of 100 GW of solar energy capacity by 2022, of which 60 GW is to come from solar energy utility projects and 40 GW from rooftop solar energy. While India has made good progress in adding the utility capacity, it is lagging behind in achieving the rooftop target," says Gaurav Mathur, India director, Trina Solar.

The world’s second-largest player in the solar energy space, Trina Solar has supplied solar panels and equipment sufficient enough to generate 3.5 GW renewable energy in India. “With 15 percent market share (in India's installed solar energy capacity of 23.1 GW), we are clear market leaders in India,” says Yin Rong Fang, president of global sales, Trina Solar. "Trina Solar was founded in China in 1997 and has been in India since 2010," says Yin.

“Now that we have solidified our strong position in the utility segment of the market, we are moving into the household and SME sector with the launch of Trinahome," he says.