MNRE Asks All RE Stakeholders to Align Activities in Compliance With ALMM Order

MNRE has issued a new directive to all RE stakeholders to align their activities in order to comply with for strict compliance with the order regarding ALMM

Earlier this month, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had extended the deadline for the approved list of models and manufacturers (ALMM) i.e. both List-I for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and List-II for solar PV cells by 6 months. The last date for enlistment for both ALMM List-I and ALMM List-II which was March 31, 2020, had been extended to September 30, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In line with which, the ministry has issued a new directive to all renewable energy (RE) stakeholders i.e. solar PV cells and modules manufacturers, renewable energy power developers, implementing agencies and RE power procurers, and most importantly banks & financial institutions which are involved in lending to RE sector must align their activities in order to comply with for strict compliance with the order regarding Approved List of Models & Manufacturers (ALMM) for solar PV cells & modules.

In the notice, the ministry stated that “with the objective of building energy security for the country and ensuring the reliability of Solar PV cells and modules, the MNRE had issued Order dated January 2, 2019, regarding ALMM for solar PV cells and modules, providing for enlistment of models and manufacturers of solar PV cells and modules, complying with the BIS standards, in ALMM List-I (for solar PV modules) & ALMM List-II (for solar PV cells). This mechanism proposed to have List-I specifying models and manufacturers of solar PV models and List-II specifying models and manufacturers of solar PV cells.”

Further adding that the ALMM order stipulates that after the effective date, all solar PV power projects which are government-owned / government-assisted/ bid-out as per the central government’s standard bidding guidelines, shall mandatorily procurer solar PV cells and modules for such projects from the manufacturers approved and included in the ALMM lists after the effective date.

The ministry also mentioned that it has been consistently directing all implementing agencies (of central and state Governments) to explicitly, upfront, include clauses in their tender documents regarding the mandatory requirement of procuring solar PV cells and modules only from the ALMM Lists, once the ALMM lists become effective.