New Delhi: Roth and Rau, a Germany-based solar cell manufacturing solutions provider, sees India emerging as the fourth largest generator of solar energy and a key driver of its global business in the coming years.

"Although still a small market, India is catching up fast with world majors in solar energy generation," Thomas Hengst, vice-president of Roth and Rau, said while speaking about his group's plans for India in this clean energy source.

"Roth and Rau is expecting orders worth as much as 80 million euros from India in 2008 from two million euros at present," Hengst told IANS.

Apart from Germany, Roth and Rau supplies equipment to various countries including Japan and China.

"India still is not among the world's top 10 solar energy generators. But at the current pace of 20 percent annual growth, India can emerge as the fourth largest generator of solar energy after Germany, Japan and China in the coming years."

Hengst said his company had entered the solar equipment-manufacturing segment in India in 2004. Currently four Indian solar cell manufacturers including Central Electronics Ltd and Maharishi Solar were sourcing equipment from Roth and Rau.