The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has made updates to the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) by adding five new entrants. These manufacturers, namely SAEL, Rhine Solar, Spark Solar, Genus Innovation, and Fujiyama Power Systems, have a combined module manufacturing capacity of 343 MW. With these additions, the ALMM now consists of 82 module manufacturers with a total listed module capacity of 19.19 GW. Notably, there are no Chinese manufacturers on the list.

The ALMM only includes models with a module efficiency of 19% or higher in List-1. Manufacturers whose model validity expired on March 9, 2023, and did not apply for renewal have been delisted. The ministry recently revised the ALMM guidelines, allowing exceptions to the qualification criteria for modules produced under agreements between original equipment manufacturers and brand owners. The revised rules state that if an applicant has multiple manufacturing sites or sources finished products from other manufacturers under their own brand name, all manufacturing sites must be inspected unless an exception applies.

The government had initially put the implementation of the ALMM order for the financial year 2023-24 on hold, but later modified the rules. Consequently, solar projects commissioned by March 31, 2024, will be exempted from the requirement of procuring modules listed under the ALMM.

Furthermore, the MNRE clarified last October that open access and net metering renewable energy projects that had applied for approval before October 1, 2022, would not be subject to the ALMM. Additionally, the ALMM mandate does not apply to behind-the-meter solar power projects used for captive consumption by individual consumers or groups of consumers.