Energetica India Magazine March - April 2026

MNRE Extends ALMM to Solar Wafers and Ingots, to be Effective from June 1, 2028 The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has expanded the ALMM Order to introduce ALMM List- III for Ingots and Wafers, which will take effect from June 1, 2028. Suitable grandfathering provisions have been built in to protect projects already in the pipeline. The current order of MNRE extends mandatory sourcing re- quirements from ALMM lists, already in place for modules and cells, one step fur- ther up the solar supply chain to include the ingots and wafers, which currently remain heavily import-dependent. The amendment outlines several key provisions governing the implementa- tion of ALMM List-III for wafers. The effective date has been set as June 1, 2028, from which all applicable projects, including net metering and open access projects, will be required to use wafers enlisted under ALMM. A cut-off date has also been defined as seven days after the publication of the initial ALMM List-III; bids submitted under the Section 63 route beyond this date must explicitly mandate the use of ALMM-compliant wafers. The issuance of the initial list itself is contingent upon the availability of at least three independent wafer manufac- turing units, not under common owner- ship or control, with a combined manu- facturing capacity of 15 GW, ensuring adequate domestic supply before en- forcement. Additionally, manufacturers seeking enlistment under ALMM List- III will be required to have equivalent ingot manufacturing capacity, thereby promoting upstream integration. From the effective date onwards, the integrity of ALMM List-I for solar PV modules will be tightened, allowing only those modules that use ALMM-listed cells and wafers, while separate lists will be maintained for grandfathered proj- ects to ensure a smooth transition. The amendment also clarifies that it does not dilute or override existing Domestic Content Requirement provisions under schemes of the MNRE. Centre Mandates Aadhaar Authentication for PM Surya Ghar Rooftop Solar Subsidy The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has mandated Aad- haar authentication for beneficiaries seeking financial assistance under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, the government’s flagship rooftop solar ini - tiative for households. Until an Aadhaar number is issued, ap- plicants aged 18 years and above may establish their identity by submitting the Aadhaar enrolment acknowledge- ment containing the enrolment iden- tification number along with a valid photo identity document. Acceptable documents include voter identity cards, passports, driving licences, ration cards, government-issued identity cards, or educational certificates issued by rec - ognised boards. The notification also outlines the verification process. A des - ignated ministry officer will verify the Aadhaar enrolment identification num - ber through the myAadhaar portal of the Unique Identification Authority of India to ensure that the enrolment re- quest is valid and has not been rejected. Authorities may also cross-verify other supporting documents with relevant government databases. In cases where Aadhaar authentication fails, alternative verification methods will be used. If biometric authentica- tion through fingerprint, iris scan, or fa - cial recognition is unsuccessful, the sys- tem may allow authentication through another biometric mode or a one-time password (OTP). When biometric or OTP authentication cannot be complet- ed, officials may verify identity through offline methods such as scanning the Aadhaar secure QR code or using paper- less offline e-KYC documents. The scheme enables homeowners to re- ceive subsidies through the Direct Ben- efit Transfer (DBT) mechanism after installing rooftop solar systems. Applicants registering on the portal must upload key documents, including their Aadhaar card, electricity bill, and bank account details. energetica INDIA- Mar-Apr_2026 13 ENERGY UPDATES