The SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment Materials International)/PV Group, a leading industry association serving the photovoltaic supply chain, organized a panel discussion in Bangalore, India, to discuss its public policy principles on feed-in tariffs (FITs) and their relevance to the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission. A SEMI/PV group white paper on policy principles and recommended global best practices for solar feed-in tariffs, titled “Advancing a Sustainable Solar Future’” was also unveiled jointly by Sathya Prasad, president of SEMI India, along with K. Subramanya, CEO of Tata BP Solar and chairman of SEMI India PV’s advisory committee, and Dr. J. Gururaja, honorary executive president of REAF (Renewable Energy Advocacy Forum). Some of the key highlights of the SEMI India panel discussion included that the National Solar Mission framework compares favorably with long-established successful FIT regime, especially those in places such as Germany, etc. Also, it was recommended that the FIT must be continued until grid parity is achieved in India. It was highlighted that following FIT best practices would ensure lower policy cost, faster ramp of manufacturing, and growth of the local PV market. Hence, the efficient execution and implementation of the National Solar Mission is crucial. The mission is well poised to drive both cost and technology innovation. According to the panelists, the FITs in India are well in line with the global best practices. Speaking on the National Solar Mission, the panelists believed that it has the potential to create significant job growth in the country. Not only that, it also has potential to positively impact on cost, technology and markets. The National Solar Mission can also help India to ramp up its indigenous production capacity and strengthen the institutional and human resources capacity. According to Dr. Gururaja, India’s National Solar Mission can enable the country to climb up the learning curve quickly. Pradeep
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