One of the most trusted brands in the wire & cable industry, Avocab aims to cater to high-quality solar cables in the market. AVOCAB’s solar cables are a step towards the creation of environment-friendly cables for the development of electricity through solar power. As India strides ahead to achieve the ambitious target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, AVOCAB is going all out to make the country a self-sufficient renewable-run nation in the near future with its exquisite range of solar products. This was shared by Mr. Abhivandan Lodha, Director (Sales), AVOCAB, during an interaction with the Wire & Cable India.
Wire & Cable India: How has the Indian solar wire and cable segment evolved over the years? Where are you positioned as a manufacturer in this market?
Abhivandan Lodha: India has now become a major global power in the solar sector. India’s solar parks and installations are not just one of the largest in the world, but technologically advanced as well. Companies in India are now talking of gigawatt installations instead of megawatts. AVOCAB identified this opportunity more than five years back and enhanced its capacity & technology in accordance.
WCI: How significant is the solar segment for you? Please take us through your solar product portfolio.
AL: We are proud to say that the solar segment contributes to almost 20 percent of our total sales and this share is increasing every year. From producing UV-protected, XLPO DC cables and wires to manufacturing and supplying of armored/unarmored cables in the range of 3.3 kv to 33 kv, our products cater to the entire solar segment. Our USP is timely delivery and customized solutions as per the clients’ requirements.
WCI: Which end-user among the residential, industrial or commercial segment, qualifies as your highest consumer? Also provide information on demand for your products in India.
AL: The demand is increasing across all segments. The rooftop solar is the new normal and a well-accepted practice for all households. The benefits of industrial and commercial installations are now viable and leading to massive savings for the stakeholders. People with land banks are more than happy to lend their spaces for solar installations.
We are witnessing an annual rise in temperatures due to global warming. This has made solar projects very popular. Under the able leadership and vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Indian government is well on the path to becoming the world’s biggest solar player. States like Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu & Gujarat have single-location sites that plan to touch 10-20 GW installations over the coming years. This is a major accomplishment for any country, which has been made possible due to our geographical location and the government’s proactive approach.
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WCI: What technologies have you incorporated into your manufacturing facilities to produce solar wire and cable? How unique are they?
AL: Campaigns like Make in India have drastically reduced the dependence on countries like China for solar infrastructure. We have witnessed major consolidation and backward integration for all solar-related items. More and more private players are coming forward to set up plants for panels, films, inverters, meters, transformers, and cables. However, the demand is still more than the supply. We have parallelly adopted technologies like UV protection, specialized insulations, WS tape protection, E-Beam process and various other parameters to enhance the performance of our products.
WCI: Compared to other wires and cables, how different is the manufacturing process of solar wire and cables?
AL: Solar wires and cables require better insulation properties as these products are subjected to continuous sunlight. The lay lengths for these cables are also very long. They need the highest life but minimal maintenance as the scale of installations is huge.
WCI: How sustainable are your products? Please detail the process you have adopted to achieve it.
AL: AVOCAB cables and wires are manufactured with the highest level of quality and technology. We make products keeping in mind the guaranteed technical parameters of long life and performance. The green certifications we have received over the years are testimony to our focus on environmental norms. Small practices like supplying reusable steel drums instead of wooden drums also play an important role in sustainability.
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WCI: Given India’s ambitious 500GW renewable energy target and solar wire & cable being the lifelines of the solar power system, what kind of growth prospects are you staring at?
AL: We are on a fast track and set to become a self-sufficient renewable-run country by the end of this decade. This is the need of the hour and we are fortunate enough to have adopted it much earlier. I see AVOCAB playing an important role in achieving this goal.
WCI: Discuss some of the major challenges you have experienced as a manufacturer. How were you able to overcome them?
AL: The demand for solar is rising dramatically. With increased competition and more people jumping into the fray, the rate at which many players are taking the contracts has given rise to a compromise on quality. It becomes essential to have only quality suppliers in the spectrum at a healthy pricing.
