Central Electronics tenders for solar cells and modules

State-owned engineer Central Electronics Limited has opened tenders to supply 300,000 multi-crystalline cells, with a minimum rating of 4.57 Wp, and 15 MWp of 72-cell, 315 Wp modules.

September 28, 2020 Uma Gupta

Only Indian manufacturers are eligible to bid for the tendered capacities.

Image: Orb Energy

Central Electronics Limited (CEL) has invited bids from Indian solar manufacturers to supply 300,000, five-busbar multi-crystalline solar cells with a peak output of at least 4.57 W.

The cells should measure 156.75 or 157mm² with a permissible variance of 0.25mm above or below and have a thickness of 200 microns with plus or minus 20 microns permitted. Front busbars should be at least 0.8mm wide, plus or minus 0.2mm, and the rear busbars 1.5mm, with 0.3mm permissible either way.

Bidding companies – which have until October 12 to lodge bids – must have a minimum annual multi-crystalline cell production capacity of 30 MW and those not listed as CEL-approved vendors will be required to provide a sample lot of at least 200 cells.

Successful bidders will supply the cells in lots up to March, as required by the purchaser.

Modules

Bids are also invited to supply 15 MWp of 72-cell modules, with an output of at least 315 Wp each, in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

The same minimum annual production capacity of 30 MWp is stipulated, in this case for Indian-made modules using automated production lines.

The tender document states, eligible bidders “must have supplied min. 1 order of min. 5MWp/2 orders of min. 2.5MWp/3 orders of min. 2 MWp each of 315Wp to 350 Wp modules in last five years (i.e. 01.09.2015 to 31.08.2020) to any government department/PSU/NGO/NSE-BSE Listed company/Regd. Co-operative society and the same shall be successfully performed for over one and half year prior to the date of submission of the bid.” It is not clear what use of the word “each” refers to unless it is each of the years listed.

Bidding for the module tender closes on October 9.

This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.