Installation of green energy to dominate the renewable energy mix

Climate change is real, and there is a sense of urgency among governments as well as corporations to do a lot to  start reversing the situation by switching over to green energy and becoming more sustainable. “It’s difficult but necessary to work in tandem with target-based initiatives for everyone”, says Amit Barve, Head-Solar Business Unit, Panasonic Life Solutions India.
What are your thoughts on the evolving approach among customers towards the transition to green energy?
Countries as well as corporations are voluntarily declaring net zero goals, and this increased awareness and adoption can be seen more so after the COP26 summit. Even at Panasonic, we have an internal target of becoming a carbon- neutral company by 2030, and we are racing towards achieving that goal well in time.
A larger challenge remains in raising public awareness of the situation and encouraging people to adopt sustainable lifestyles. Other challenges faced by the industry include disruptions in supply chains, which began during the COVID era and continue to haunt the sector today, and a high USD exchange rate, which results in a higher cost of ownership. However, due to higher economic feasibility, markets have remained resilient and the industry continues to grow. We anticipate that the installation of green energy, particularly solar power, will continue to soar and will maintain a dominant share of the renewable sector as well as the overall energy mix.

Tell us in brief about Panasonic’s product portfolio in the solar sector.
In keeping with our spirit of innovation and consumer-centricity, we intend to keep widening our portfolio to offer holistic product and service solutions to our intended target audience.
Within products, our latest advances are around solar modules, solar inverters, and solar streetlights this year. In terms of solar modules, we currently offer modules based on mono-PERC half-cut 182 mm cells. Over and above large format modules of 550 Wp for ground-based systems, we have also introduced 495 Wp, a powerhouse for rooftops, in both a normal and a DCR version. This product offering complements we previously launched 450 Wp, with the safety and ease of handling of these modules in mind, particularly in rooftop applications.
Our offering of solar inverters, which are hallmarks of safety and reliability, is purely focused on residential and SOHO installations.
One of our focus areas is our range of all-in-one solar streetlights, which we have already installed in various projects, especially in the eastern part of the country.

Tell us more about the B2C segment you cater to with Panasonic’s residential kits and inverters
Panasonic’s group philosophy believes in manufacturing and supplying environmentally friendly, safe, high-quality, reliable, and long-lasting products. Every product before hitting the market passes through stringent evaluation, which goes well beyond routine tests for certifications. We put our products through rigorous testing to ensure they comply with our safety standards, called the Panasonic Corporation Safety Standards (PCSS), which include but are not limited to additional tests like the glow wire test and smoke emission test to ensure the safety of the product.
Our soon-to-be-launched residential kits will offer an end-to-end product and service solution backed by the trust and expertise of our brand for home set-ups. We will have one-point responsibility where most components will be from Panasonic. an accessible offering given our greater customer reach, backed by our existing and extensive service network across India. Given the urgent need for penetration of this category in the residential segment, our endeavour will be to hand-hold our partners and customers to make the transition to solar smooth and cater to queries promptly.
Our solar inverters are compact, sturdy, low maintenance, and have plug-andplay features. The Intelligent Maximum Power Point Tracking algorithm enables maximising the yield from solar modules. equipped with a touch-sensitive OLED screen and real-time monitoring, with remote locations using Wi-Fi or GPRS. These range from 3 kW to 25 kW in capacity, providing high system performance. It also comes with a 10-year warranty. All our offerings come with reliable after-sale service assurance through our top-class network across the country.

Give us an overview of your future plans and strategies moving forward.
As stated, in alignment with the global Panasonic philosophy towards carbon neutrality, we have set ourselves an ambitious goal to achieve the same by the year 2030.
We currently offer a wide range of products and services based on our understanding of market trends and, as a result, keep ourselves aligned with upcoming consumer needs in the solar space. The solar market is dynamic, and a brand like Panasonic ensures an agile approach to introducing innovative yet practical solar solutions.
In India, we expect to enhance our PAN India distribution network and introduce new product launches based on market needs, such as solar residential kits and a hybrid version of all-in-one streetlights. Our focus on C&I EPC projects will continue to be on 500 KWp+ solar energy projects, and we will ensure to include versatile sectors and businesses to help industries make the green transition.