India's First Solar Bypass Diodes Unit by CDIL Semiconductors

New Delhi, Feb 13 (PTI) Electronics component maker CDIL Semiconductors has set up the country's first indigenous solar bypass diodes production unit in Mohali to cater to the requirement of solar plants, a senior company official said on Thursday.

The company has initially established a production capacity of 25 million units per annum and plans to triple it in the next two years.

"At CDIL, we have made a breakthrough with the launch of the country's first indigenous solar bypass diodes. Solar players have been dependent on imported solar bypass diodes. We have also made a technology breakthrough to have ribbon bound diodes to handle higher power loads," CDIL Semiconductors General Manager Prithvideep Singh said.

CDIL is among India's oldest electronics component manufacturers.

Solar bypass diodes work as a router for solar panels. In case a solar plate is unable to function properly due to technical issues or it has got some cover to block sun rays falling on it, then the entire panel faces a glitch.

Solar bypass diodes help bypass the affected plate for continuity of solar panel function.

"Solar cells are made like Diwali lights. If one of the lights goes off then the entire string gets wasted. The diodes that we are making will bypass that non-functional solar cell and connect with the rest," Singh said.

He said the company is initially setting up a capacity of 25 million units per annum that will have an average selling price of Rs 20-30 per unit.

The company had in late 2023 started making silicon carbide semiconductors.

CDIL specialises in manufacturing of electronic components ranging from transistors and diodes to specialised semiconductor components.