MNRE Waives Physical Inspections For Higher-Wattage Solar PV Modules Under ALMM Guidelines

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has introduced a new policy measure aimed at simplifying the process of listing higher-wattage solar photovoltaic (PV) modules under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). The decision, announced through an official memorandum dated June 8, 2026, is expected to ease compliance requirements for solar module manufacturers and support faster market adoption of improved solar technologies.

The move comes after several industry stakeholders requested a more streamlined approval process for higher power variants of existing solar PV modules. Under the revised guidelines, manufacturers will no longer be required to undergo a physical factory inspection when seeking ALMM enlistment for higher-wattage modules, provided the new module’s wattage is up to 3% higher than the highest-wattage module already listed from the same manufacturing facility.

To qualify for this exemption, manufacturers must ensure that there are no changes to the manufacturing facility, production line, or machinery used for module production. In addition, all required technical documents and supporting information related to the higher power modules must be submitted for verification.

MNRE has clarified that the relaxation is applicable only as a one-time enhancement from a physically inspected base model. For instance, if a manufacturer already has a 540 Wp Mono-PERC module enlisted through the standard inspection process, it may subsequently list a similar module of up to 556 Wp without a physical inspection. However, the newly enlisted 556 Wp module cannot serve as a basis for another 3% increase without undergoing a factory inspection.

In situations where the wattage increase exceeds the 3% limit, the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE) will conduct an online inspection. The virtual assessment will primarily verify the current-voltage (I-V) performance characteristics of the highest-wattage module being proposed for enlistment. Upon successful verification, the module may proceed through the ALMM approval process.

The ministry further stated that the relaxation is applicable only when there are no significant changes to the Bill of Materials (BOM), module design, cell size, or cell configuration. The objective is to facilitate the listing of modules that achieve higher output solely due to improvements in solar cell efficiency.

MNRE also clarified that the addition of higher-wattage models under these provisions will not affect a manufacturer’s officially approved production capacity. Any request to increase manufacturing capacity will continue to require a mandatory physical factory inspection under existing ALMM procedures.