Tesla, the American electric car company, is on the lookout for local partners to produce solar panels for rooftops in India. The company plans to team up with Indian manufacturers to make and install these solar panels, while Tesla will provide its technology and expertise in selling them. Sources say that Tesla has already discussed its plans with the Indian government. It's also looking for financial support like subsidies and grants to help with the project, as reported by Livemint.

This move comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a scheme called PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. This scheme aims to provide free electricity to about 1 crore households in India through rooftop solar panels. The government plans to invest Rs 75,000 crore in this project, hoping to light up these households by offering up to 300 units of free electricity every month.

The government will provide substantial subsidies directly to people's bank accounts, along with loans at lower interest rates to install rooftop solar panels.

Tesla
Image : Mint

Apart from making electric cars, Tesla also sells products for homes that generate and store solar power. Some of these products include Solar Roof, Powerwall (a battery that stores power), and solar panels.

Last year, Tesla proposed setting up a factory in India to make battery storage systems. These systems, like the Powerwall, store power from solar panels or the grid for use when there's no sunlight or during power outages.

While Tesla has been talking about building an electric car factory in India, its plans for making battery storage systems haven't received as much attention. During meetings with Indian officials in New Delhi last year, Tesla pitched its idea to support India's battery storage capabilities with its Powerwall system.

However, the Indian government hinted that it wouldn't offer incentives for a battery storage factory. Instead, the government proposed the possibility of offering subsidies to consumers purchasing Tesla's battery storage products, making it a fair deal for the company. Tesla's bigger plans in India go beyond electric cars. It's also interested in finding customers in homes and industries for its battery storage systems, such as the Powerwall.

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