Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has floated a tender for 18,000 monocrystalline passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar cells. The cells must be 158.75 ×158.75 ± 0.5 mm in dimensions and 220 microns thick ± 20 microns. BHEL specified multiple wattages for the cells ranging between 5.7W and 5.22W. They must be five bus bars in length.

BHEL noted that interested bidders need not submit an earnest money deposit (EMD) to participate in the tender. Delivery is to be made within 30 days from the date BHEL issues the material dispatch clearance certificate. The last date for submitting the bids is December 12, 2020.

The cells should be free of visual defects, chipping, cracks, printing defects, misalignments, finger knots, grid line interruptions, fingerprint interruptions, paste smudges, or stains on either surface. They must have a homogenous silicon nitride coating without any color variations. The bus line silver must not be tarnished or oxidized.

All the cells must be vacuum packed with a heat-shrinkable sleeve or polythene or polypropylene sachets with not more than 125 cells per sachet. They must be packed in a manner that would prevent damage during transit.

To be eligible to participate in the tender, bidders must have had an average annual turnover of ₹600,000 (~$8,132.36) in the last three financial years.

Vendors must have a minimum in-house production capacity for manufacturing 360,000 monocrystalline passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar cells per year. They must have previously supplied this quantity of PV cells to reputed module manufacturers in the last two years.

Quite recently, BHEL floated a tender for the supply of 286,000 multicrystalline solar photovoltaic cells. Back in June, it invited bids to manufacture and supply 12 million units of solar cells. Both international and domestic manufacturers are allowed to bid against this tender. Foreign vendors need to supply the first four million solar cells by air and the next eight million by sea.