New Delhi, March 18 (IANS). The government on Wednesday expanded the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) framework to solar ingots and wafers. The new rules will be effective from June 1, 2028.
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has implemented ALMM List-III for ingots and wafers, thereby extending the requirement for mandatory domestic sourcing beyond modules and cells to upstream components of the solar value chain.
The ministry said “grandfathering provisions” have been included to protect projects already under implementation.
Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said the move will strengthen domestic solar power production, reduce dependence on imports and improve supply chain stability.
Expanding the ALMM framework to include ingots and wafers is a decisive step towards building a self-reliant solar energy ecosystem and will position India as a strong global player in the renewable energy sector, he said in a post on ‘X’.
Under the new framework, all projects including net metering and open access will be mandated to use ALMM-listed wafers from the effective date.
The cut-off date for wafers has been set at seven days after the publication of the initial ALMM List-III. Under Section 63 of the Electricity Act, 2003, it is mandatory to mention the use of ALMM-compliant wafers in bids submitted after this date.
To ensure adequate domestic supply, the initial list will be released only if at least three independent producers, with a combined capacity of 15 GW, are in operation.
Manufacturers wishing to join ALMM List-III for wafers must also have equivalent ingot manufacturing capacity.
The ministry said that from June 2028, ALMM List-I (solar modules) will include only modules manufactured using ALMM-listed cells and wafers, while separate provisions will be maintained for existing projects.
The ministry also said that the order does not affect the existing Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) provisions.
Wafers are an important intermediate component in solar manufacturing, and India is currently largely dependent on imports in this sector.
The government said the move is expected to boost domestic manufacturing, improve supply chain security and support job creation in the sector.
–IANS
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