Source: News on Air
Subject: Government Schemes
Context: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has expanded the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework to include solar ingots and wafers, effective June 1, 2028.
About Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) Framework:
What it is?
- The ALMM is a quality and reliability benchmark framework designed to ensure that solar cells and modules used in Indian projects meet rigorous domestic manufacturing and performance standards.
Launched In: 2019 (under the ALMM Order, 2019).
Organization Involved: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India.
Aim: To promote self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in the solar energy sector by incentivizing domestic manufacturing, ensuring the quality of solar components, and reducing dependence on foreign imports (primarily from China).
Key Features:
- Mandatory Certification: Only manufacturers and models listed in the ALMM are eligible for use in government-assisted projects, projects under the Net Metering or Open Access schemes, and projects awarded through competitive bidding (Section 63 of the Electricity Act).
- Tiered Structure: The framework consists of different lists: List-I for Solar PV Modules, List-II for Solar PV Cells, and the newly announced List-III for Solar Ingots and Wafers.
- Physical Inspection: Enlistment requires a mandatory technical inspection of the manufacturing facility by a team from the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) to verify capacity and quality.
- Domestic Content Requirement (DCR): It acts as a non-tariff barrier that reinforces DCR policies, ensuring that the heart of the solar panel is made in India.
- Grandfathering Provisions: The framework includes grandfathering clauses to protect existing projects in the pipeline from sudden policy shifts, ensuring solar developers face minimal disruption.
Significance:
- By expanding to ingots and wafers, India is securing the entire supply chain, moving beyond just assembling imported components.
- It prevents the dumping of low-quality or obsolete solar technology into the Indian market.
- The framework drives massive private investment into the manufacturing sector and creates high-skilled employment in upstream solar technology.
