Govt extends ALMM framework to ingots and wafers; effective June 1, 2028

New Delhi: The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on Wednesday expanded the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) Order to introduce ALMM List-III for ingots and wafers, saying the move will come into effect on 1 June 2028 with grandfathering provisions to protect projects already in the pipeline.

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The MNRE notification says the expansion of the ALMM Order will require all projects bid out by the government to use ALMM-listed wafers from June 1, 2028. The statement spells out the effective date as: “Effective Date: 1st June 2028 - the date from which ALL projects must use ALMM-listed wafers including Net metering/ open access projects.” The ministry said suitable grandfathering provisions have been built in “to protect projects already in the pipeline.”

Joshi frames move as decisive step for domestic manufacturing

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, described the expansion as a strategic measure to deepen domestic value addition in the solar supply chain. On X, the minister posted: “Strengthening India’s solar future ☀️🇮🇳 With the expansion of the ALMM framework to include ingots and wafers, India takes a decisive step towards building a robust, self-reliant solar manufacturing ecosystem.”

“This move will boost domestic production, strengthen supply chains, reduce import dependence and enhance quality across the solar value chain, positioning India as a strong global player in #RenewableEnergy. Advancing towards a cleaner, greener future and the goal of 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030,” the post added.

What the order requires and the threshold for an initial list

The MNRE laid down safeguards to ensure the initial ALMM List-III is issued only when domestic capacity exists: “Threshold for issuing the initial list: At least 3 independent manufacturing units (not under common ownership or control) with a combined capacity of 15 GW,” the statement said. It also requires manufacturers seeking enlistment for wafers to have equivalent ingot manufacturing capacity, promoting upstream integration.

The ministry said module list integrity will be enforced: from the effective date, ALMM List-I (solar PV modules) will include only modules manufactured using ALMM-listed cells and wafers. The order also clarifies that it does not override any Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) provisions under existing MNRE schemes.

MNRE explains why it matters

MNRE highlighted wafers as a critical intermediate stage between polysilicon and cells, noting India’s current dependence on imports for wafer supply. The expansion to List-III, the ministry said, is expected to drive investment into ingot and wafer manufacturing, improve supply-chain security, ensure quality and traceability from wafer to module, and create skilled upstream jobs — all framed as steps toward Atmanirbhar Bharat and the government’s 500 GW non-fossil capacity target by 2030.

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Implementation details

Key implementation rules include a cut-off for Sec 63 route bids seven days after the initial ALMM List-III is published, and a mandate that wafers enlisted must be backed by ingot capacity. MNRE said that ALMM List-II for cells has already grown rapidly since its introduction and that List-I (modules) expanded from 8.2 GW in 2021 to about 172 GW currently — figures the ministry cited to show the framework’s track record.

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