India proposes ALMM mandate for solar cells from April

From pv magazine India

India’s MNRE has started seeking stakeholder feedback on draft guidelines for the ALMM for solar cells, with plans to implement them from April 2026.

The MNRE aims to issue the ALMM list for PV cells from April 1, 2026, as it expects a significant increase in installed solar capacity over the next two years. Mercom India said in its recent “State of Solar PV Manufacturing in India 2024” report that India’s PV cell capacity could surpass 75 GW by 2026, up from 5.8 GW in December 2023.

The MNRE introduced the ALMM policy to protect the domestic solar industry from Chinese imports. The policy creates a non-tariff barrier, allowing domestic manufacturers to capture a larger market share.

The MNRE has already published the ALMM list for solar modules, which comply with Bureau of Indian Standards and meet the ministry’s efficiency criteria. As of April 1, 2024, only modules and manufacturers on this list are eligible for government-backed projects. The list currently includes more than 50 GW of module capacity.

Projects under the ALMM mandate must source solar PV modules from the ALMM list and use cells from the same list. Projects bidding before this order’s issuance are exempt from this requirement, according to the MNRE.

The deadline for submitting feedback on the draft ALMM guidelines is Oct. 6, 2024.