India to extend approved list of solar parts to wafers by 2028

From pv magazine India

India’s MNRE has proposed including solar wafers under the ALMM in a move aimed at promoting domestic manufacturing across the entire solar cell value chain. The ALMM for solar wafers will be effective from June 1, 2028.

The ALMM mechanism was originally introduced by MNRE to protect domestic manufacturers from the dumping of Chinese solar products. Under this framework, only MNRE-approved models and manufacturers listed in the ALMM are eligible to participate in government-backed solar projects.

Currently, ALMM applies to solar modules and solar cells, listed under ALMM List-I and ALMM List-II, respectively. Under the proposed framework, all projects covered by ALMM will be required to source PV modules from models and manufacturers listed in ALMM List-I, cells used in these modules from those listed in ALMM List-II, and wafers used in these cells from manufacturers included in the new ALMM List-III.

Projects exempted from using ALMM-listed solar cells will also receive exemption from using ALMM-listed wafers.

The ministry said ALMM List-III for wafers will be issued only when it contains at least three wafer manufacturing units operating independently and with an aggregate wafer manufacturing capacity of 15 GW per year.

To be listed in ALMM for wafers, a manufacturer must also have ingot manufacturing capacity equal to the wafer manufacturing capacity it intends to register.

Projects covered under ALMM and bid out before the cut-off date – one month after the issuance of the first ALMM wafer list – will be exempt from the requirement to use wafers from ALMM List-III even if commissioned after the effective date of June 1, 2028.

Projects covered under ALMM with bid submission deadlines after the cut-off date must include a clause in their tender documents requiring solar PV modules, cells, and wafers to come from the models and manufacturers listed in ALMM List-I, ALMM List-II, and ALMM List-III, respectively.

From the effective date, only solar PV modules that use cells from ALMM List-II, which in turn use wafers from ALMM List-III, will remain in ALMM List-I.