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Solar PV Cells Manufactured Using Blue Wafer Won’t Qualify as DCR: MNRE

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has clarified that only solar PV cells manufactured in India using undiffused silicon wafers (Black Wafer) will qualify as domestically manufactured under its schemes, excluding those made from imported diffused wafers (Blue Wafer).

March 11, 2025. By Mrinmoy Dey

Ministry of New and Renewable energy (MNRE) has clarified that a solar PV cell (based on crystalline-silicon technology) will be considered to be domestically manufactured only if the same has been manufactured in India, using undiffused silicon wafer which is generally called 'Black Wafer'.

It further added that all steps/processes required for manufacturing solar PV cell from the undiffused silicon wafer must be carried out in India.

The Ministry has further stated that if diffused silicon wafer which is generally called 'Blue Wafer’ is imported and the same is used as raw material for the manufacture of solar PV cells in India, such solar PV cells shall not qualify as domestically manufactured solar PV cells, for the purpose of MNRE's Schemes/Programmes mandating use of domestically manufactured solar PV cells.

This comes at a time when MNRE is finalising the norms for inclusion of domestically manufactured solar cells under the ambit of ALMM list. The ALMM List-II for solar cells will be implemented from June 1, 2026. Recently, the Ministry also floated the Draft Application Form for applying for enlistment in ALMM for solar cells seeking stakeholders’ comments.

MNRE further clarified that Thin Film Solar PV Modules manufactured in integrated factory located in India are eligible for deployment in projects under MNRE's Schemes/Programmes where the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) provisions mandate deployment of domestically manufactured solar PV modules which are made using domestically manufactured solar PV cells.

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