Govt issues draft norms for ALMM on solar cells from April 2026
Renewable Energy (MNRE) on Saturday notified draft norms for an approved list of models and manufacturers (ALMM) for solar cells, which is proposed to be effective from April 2026, similar to that for modules which has worked like a non-tariff barrier for domestic manufacturing.
The list for solar modules comprises models and manufacturers that project developers can buy equipment from.
With installed capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) cells in the country expected to increase substantially in the next two years, the government proposes to issue solar PV cells under ALMM from April 2026, according to the draft.
The deadline for submitting views on the draft guidelines is October 6.
Cell manufacturing capacity in India is set to surpass 30 GW by the end of this financial year, from around 7 GW now.
Amid rapidly increasing solar equipment demand in India, cells are mostly being imported, with China being the major supplier.
The government is encouraging domestic manufacturing of major energy transition equipment such as modules and cells. It wants to develop an integrated supply chain of solar equipment leading to wafers and ingots.
All solar projects falling under the purview of ALMM will have to source their solar modules from the approved models and manufacturers, and the modules in turn will have to use solar cells from among the approved list for solar cells, the government said.
New and renewable energy secretary Bhupinder Singh Bhalla had told ET in July that the ministry would soon release a draft
