Reliance New Energy to acquire 20% stake in US-based Caelux for $12 mn

Reliance New Energy Limited (RNEL) — the wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) — signed definitive agreements to acquire 20 per cent stake for $12 million in Caelux Corporation, a company headquartered in Pasadena, California, USA, engaged in the development of perovskite-based solar technology.

In a BSE filing, RIL said, that the investment will accelerate product and technology development for Caelux, including the construction of its pilot line in the United States, for expediting the commercial development of its technology. RNEL and Caelux have also entered into a strategic partnership agreement for technical collaboration and commercialization of Caelux’s technology.

Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director, Reliance Industries Limited, said, “The investment in Caelux aligns with our strategy to create the most advanced green energy manufacturing ecosystem, backed by world-class talent, and built on the pillars of technological innovation achieved through strategic partnerships. We believe Caelux’s proprietary perovskite-based solar technology provides us with access to the next leg of innovation in crystalline solar modules. We will work along with team at Caelux to accelerate its product development and commercialization of its technology.”

Caelux is a research and development-oriented company in perovskite-based solar technology. Its proprietary technology enables high-efficiency solar modules that can produce 20 per cent more energy over the 25-year lifetime of a solar project at significantly lower installed cost. Reliance is setting up a global-scale integrated photovoltaic Giga factory at Jamnagar, Gujarat. Through this investment and collaboration, Reliance will be able to produce more powerful and lower-cost solar modules leveraging Caelux’s products.

Scott Graybeal, CEO of Caelux Corporation, said, “Caelux is proud to have Reliance as a lead investor as we move to the next phase of our development and are grateful for Khosla Ventures’ support of the company over the years. Through the partnership with Reliance, we will accelerate our efforts to build out our manufacturing capabilities to produce products that make crystalline solar modules more efficient and cost effective. We look forward to demonstrating the future of solar power at a scale as we support Reliance’s global expansion plans and product roadmap.”