Have You Registered for Solar "ALMM" – Hurry up!

Now Government Will Only Procure Components from Approved Solar Vendors

In order to keep the quality under check, the MNRE has carved out an “Approved List of Models and Manufacturers”. This list consists of approved models and manufacturers of solar modules and solar cells. It consists of two parts – List I specifying models and manufacturers of solar modules and List II, specifying models and manufacturers of solar cells. This list will be effective from March 31, 2020. Any government projects and others set up for the sale of electricity to the government, after March 2020, will be required to procure components from these enlisted vendors only. Any solar project for which bids have been finalized before the issuance of this order will be exempt from this mandatory procurement requirement.

To be a part of this esteemed list, manufacturers should first get BIS registration or certification. An inspection of the production facility is then conducted by a team of MNRE. These could random quality checks, regular audits, site visits, etc. The models and manufacturers shall be enlisted in ALMM for a period of two years which can be later renewed upon submission of the necessary documentation. In case of any non-compliance, they shall be removed from the ALMM. In addition, an applicant is required to submit:

i) prescribed fees

ii) documents proving their financial condition and physical manufacturing capacity

iii) other documents required by statutory, state, Company’s laws, etc.

Since solar power installations are set up for a period of 25 years, the solar cells and panels used in these projects should be of good quality carrying long warranties. In western countries, testing is usually done by independent testing labs. In India, it will be now done by government officials. If done properly, these quality checks would ensure higher power generation and long life of solar projects.

This step should boost the quality of solar projects in India and also support the ‘Make in India‘ movement. For any grid-connected solar projects developed by ministries, departments, and other central public sector undertakings (PSUs), preference would be given to domestically manufactured solar products like panels and inverters.