India Reinstated the ALMM Mandate for Solar Products & Manufacturers To Protect Domestic Industry from China's Dumping

The Indian government has reinstated the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) mandate effective from April 1, 2024. This means that only solar products and manufacturers that are included on the MNRE- approved ALMM List-I are eligible for use in government-backed projects, including government projects, government-assisted projects, projects under government schemes and programmes, open access projects, and net-metering projects installed in the country

The ALMM was initially introduced to protect consumer interests and ensure energy security by verifying the reliability of solar product manufacturers. The policy also protect the domestic industry from the dumping of Chinese products.

The ALMM consists of two lists:

1. List-I: Specifies models and manufacturers of Solar PV Modules.
2. List-II: Specifies models and manufacturers of Solar PV Cells.

As per the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), only models and manufacturers included in List-I are eligible for use in government-related solar projects. The mandate had been put in abeyance for the financial year 2023-24, but with the recent update, it will be back in force for projects commissioned from April 2024 onwards.

This move is seen as a positive step for domestic solar OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and is expected to support the growth of the local solar manufacturing industry.

However, there are certain exemptions to the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) mandate. Here are some key points regarding the exemptions:

• Projects commissioned by the end of March 2024 are exempt from the requirement of procuring solar PV modules from the ALMM list.
• The mandate will be relaxed for solar projects in advanced stages of construction or if the order for modules has been placed before March 31, 2024.
• The ALMM will not apply to projects set up under open access solar or as captive by private parties.
• There is also an exemption from factory inspection in case of enlistment of additional models in ALMM which are similar to those already enlisted by the applicant but having lower wattage.

These exemptions are designed to provide flexibility and support the ongoing development of solar projects while transitioning to the ALMM system.

The ALMM order was previously put on hold for the financial year 2023-24 due to insufficient domestic module manufacturing capacity. However, with the updated mandate, projects commissioned by March 31, 2024, will be exempted from the requirement of procuring solar PV modules from the ALMM.

It's important for stakeholders in the solar energy sector to be aware of these updates to ensure compliance and eligibility for government projects. For the most current list of approved models and manufacturers, you can refer to the MNRE website.

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