MNRE proposes ALMM for solar wafers

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has proposed the inclusion of solar wafers under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), in a move aimed at promoting domestic manufacturing across the entire solar cell value chain. The ALMM for solar wafers will come into effect on June 1, 2028.

September 17, 2025 Uma Gupta

Image: Image: University of New South Wales

India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has proposed to include solar wafers under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) in a move aimed at promoting the domestic manufacturing of the entire solar cell manufacturing chain. The ALMM for solar wafers will be effective from June 1, 2028.

The ALMM mechanism was originally introduced by MNRE to protect domestic manufacturers from the dumping of Chinese solar products. Under this framework, only MNRE-approved models and manufacturers listed in the ALMM are eligible for participation in government-backed solar projects.

Currently, ALMM is applicable to solar modules and solar cells, listed under ALMM List-I and ALMM List-II, respectively. Under the proposed framework, all projects covered by ALMM will be required to source PV modules from models and manufacturers enlisted in ALMM List-I, cells used in these modules from those listed in ALMM List-II, and wafers used in these cells from manufacturers included in the new ALMM List-III.

Projects which are exempted from using ALMM enlisted solar cells will automatically get exemption from using ALMM enlisted wafers.

The ministry said that ALMM List-III for wafers will be issued only when it contains at least three wafer manufacturing units operating independently and having an aggregate wafer manufacturing of 15 GW per annum.

For enlistment in ALMM list of wafers, the wafer manufacturer should also have the ingot manufacturing capacity equivalent to the wafer manufacturing capacity that it intends to get enlisted in ALMM.

Projects covered under ALMM and bid out before the cut-off date (i.e., one month after the issuance of the first ALMM wafer list) will be exempt from the requirement to use wafers from ALMM List-III even if they are commissioned after the effective date (June 1, 2028).

Projects that are covered under ALMM and have bid submission deadline falling after the ‘cut-off date’ shall have a clause in their tender documents that the solar PV modules, solar PV cells and wafers used in such projects shall be from the models and manufacturers included in ALMM List-I (for solar PV modules), ALMM List-II (for solar PV cells) and ALMM List-III (for wafers), respectively.

‘Effective Date’ onwards, only those solar PV modules will remain in ALMM List-I (for solar PV modules) which are using solar PV cells from ALMM List-II (for solar PV cells), which, in turn, are using wafers from ALMM List-III (for wafers).

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