The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a clarification regarding the applicability of its Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) for solar photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules. The clarification resolves a perceived contradiction in a previous MNRE Office Memorandum and provides clear guidelines for government projects under various captive and open access mechanisms. This Office Memorandum was issued on August 12, 2025.
The Ministry has now clarified that government projects under Net Metering, Behind-the-Meter, and Open Access mechanisms that are awarded through bidding are exempt from using solar PV cells from ALMM List-II.
This exemption applies only if the last date for bid submission is on or before August 31, 2025. For such projects, compliance with ALMM will be limited to using only solar PV modules from ALMM List-I.
It is important to note that this exemption does not provide any relaxation from domestic content requirements for government projects under schemes or programs where the use of domestically manufactured solar PV cells and modules is already mandated.