The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has proposed to issue the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-III for solar wafers, which will come into effect from June 1, 2028.
According to the draft amendment released by MNRE, the ALMM List-III for wafers will be issued once it contains at least three wafer manufacturing units. These units must operate independently and shall not be under common ownership or control, directly or indirectly. The aggregate wafer manufacturing capacity of such units should be at least 15 GW per annum. Furthermore, to qualify for enlistment, a wafer manufacturer must also possess ingot manufacturing capacity equal to the wafer capacity it seeks to enlist under ALMM.
Additionally, projects that are exempted from using ALMM-listed solar cells will also be exempted from using ALMM-listed wafers. Furthermore, effective date onwards, only those solar photovoltaic (PV) modules will remain in ALMM List-I that use solar PV cells from ALMM List-II, and those cells must, in turn, use wafers from ALMM List-III.
However, to streamline categorsiation, the draft also specifies that separate lists will be maintained from the effective date. These are List I(a) for solar PV modules using cells and wafers not included in the ALMM; List I(b) for solar PV modules using ALMM-listed cells but not ALMM-listed wafers; and List II(a) for solar PV cells using wafers not listed in the ALMM. The lists will cover solar PV modules and cells meant for different categories of projects that are exempt from using ALMM-listed wafers but are still required to use either ALMM-listed modules or cells.
Furthermore, for the projects that are required to use modules from ALMM-List I and cells from ALMM-List II, if the bid submission deadline is on or before the cut-off date, then such projects must use solar PV modules from ALMM List-I and solar PV cells from ALMM List-II. However, such projects will not be required to use wafers from ALMM List-III, regardless of their commissioning date, even if it is after the effective date.
All projects covered under ALMM, where the last date of bid submission is after the cut-off date, must clearly state in their tender documents that the solar PV modules, solar PV cells, and wafers used will be from models and manufacturers listed in ALMM List-I, ALMM List-II, and ALMM List-III, respectively.
The draft further specifies that open-access renewable energy projects and net-metering projects commissioned before the effective date will not be required to use wafers from ALMM List-III. However, the requirement of using ALMM enlisted (cells and modules) or ALMM enlisted modules, as may be applicable, will still hold. Net-Metering and open access renewable power projects commissioned on or after the effective date must use solar PV modules, cells, and wafers from manufacturers listed in ALMM List-I, List-II, and List-III, respectively.
For government-owned behind-the-meter and captive projects, the compliance timelines differ. Projects commissioned before June 1, 2026, must use ALMM-listed solar PV modules but are exempt from using ALMM-listed cells and wafers. However, if the projects are commissioned between June 1, 2026, and the effective date, they must use both ALMM-listed modules and cells. Additionally, if projects are commissioned on or after the effective date, they must use ALMM-listed modules, cells, and wafers.
