MNRE Revises ALMM Guidelines to Include Co-Branded Solar Modules

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has introduced new guidelines for solar photovoltaic modules produced through an agreement between an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and a brand owner to be enlisted under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). This comes after the implementation of the ALMM order for the financial year 2023-24 was put on hold by the government. As a result, solar projects commissioned by March 31, 2024, will be exempted from the requirement of procuring modules listed under ALMM.

Under the new guidelines, if an applicant has multiple manufacturing sites or sources finished products from other manufacturers and sells them under their brand name, all manufacturing sites, including the applicant’s own, must be inspected unless an exception applies. An exception applies if the ALMM enlisted model of a brand owner is manufactured under a co-branding arrangement in the ALMM enlisted manufacturing facility of another OEM using the same manufacturing process and bill of materials, or if an ALMM enlisted model of an OEM is manufactured under a co-branding arrangement in the OEM’s ALMM enlisted manufacturing facility using the same manufacturing process and bill of materials but bears the brand name of another ALMM enlisted manufacturer.

Both the brand owner and the OEM must be enlisted in ALMM under the new clause, and the brand owner must submit the application to MNRE with a copy of the agreement between the OEM and the brand owner. The agreement should clearly specify the details of the brand owner and the OEM and the manufacturing capacity in MW/annum for which the co-branding arrangement has been executed. The brand owner must also provide an undertaking that the label of each model must display the name of the brand Owner and OEM, as well as the location of the OEM’s manufacturing unit where the model was produced.

The co-branded models will be listed under the brand owner’s name as an addition to their existing entry in the ALMM List, and the ALMM enlistment of co-branded models will be valid until two years from the enlistment date or the date of expiration of the validity of the agreement between the brand owner and OEM. An inspection fee is required for each additional site in the same country, and the inspection fee for each site located in a different country will remain the same.

View the original order here: