MNRE makes it mandatory for solar manufacturers to register themselves to avoid exclusion from the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers in India
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued orders to make registrations compulsory for solar module manufacturers in India so that a self-reliant environment is created by locally manufacturing solar wafers, cells, and modules. The move is also aimed at curbing solar imports.
It has announced that an Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) will be issued citing the suitable models and manufacturers of solar modules. The ministry views the list as an important step towards increasing domestic production of solar materials and achieving the goal of becoming a self-sufficient industry by 2021.
ALMM list
The ministry has laid out the eligibility criteria for manufacturers to make it to the approved list. The solar module manufacturers will need to acquire the BIS certification under the “Solar Photovoltaics, Systems, Devices and Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2017”. They must also build up a production capacity in India.
The deadline for establishing a manufacturing facility has been kept on December 31, 2019 for solar cells manufacturing. Solar module manufacturers (from wafer onwards) must set up a production unit by December 31, 2020 and the ones keen on starting their solar business from polysilicon onwards will have to build a manufacturing unit by December 31, 2021.
The final approved list will be updated on a quarterly basis and uploaded on the MNRE website. Failing to comply with the given timeline may lead to exclusion from the final Approved List of Models and Manufacturers. The final list of manufacturers must also undergo quality tests which include inspection of the manufacturing units.
The current orders have been laid out for crystalline silicon technology-based solar modules manufacturing. The guidelines for solar photovoltaic modules are slated to be issued later.
