MNRE Announces ALMM Relaxation for Two Years

In a bid to boost installed solar capacity in India, the government has decided to relax the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) for two years. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued an office memorandum on its website.

The official notification came almost a month after Power Minister R.K. Singh announced the relaxation of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) during a conference.

“With reference to the Approved Models and Manufacturers of Solar Photovoltaic Modules (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2019 and subsequent amendments and clarification thereto, the undersigned is directed to convey that subject Order is hereby held in abeyance for one financial year, i.e. FY 2023-24. Thus Projects commissioned by 31.03.2024 will be exempted from the requirement of procuring Solar PV modules from ALMM,” stated the official notification.

The ministry had introduced the ALMM list to boost domestic manufacturing reducing the country’s dependence on imports. However, the domestic capacity was not being able to meet the demand for solar PV in India. 

In the conference held in February, the power minister announced that India has around 70 GW of solar capacity under implementation but the manufacturing capacity of 500 Wp (modules) and above is just 10 GW. He further added that it would take around seven years to complete the solar power projects with ALMM in place. 

India has ambitious plans to install 280 GW capacity of solar power by 2030. The relaxation of the ALMM mandate is anticipated to have a positive impact on the solar energy projects in the country.