New Delhi: The ministry of new & renewable energy (MNRE) has issued a clarification regarding the applicability of the Approved Models and Manufacturers of Solar Photovoltaic Modules (ALMM) Order, 2019, specifically in relation to open access and net-metering renewable energy projects. According to an office memorandum dated October 14, 2024, the ALMM Order will not apply to renewable energy projects that had already secured key approvals before the cut-off date of October 1, 2022.
The ALMM Order, originally introduced to regulate the quality of solar photovoltaic modules used in large-scale solar projects, requires manufacturers to be listed on an approved list by MNRE. However, this order had raised concerns among stakeholders in the renewable energy sector, particularly regarding its applicability to projects that had already received approvals.
The memorandum specifically states that the exemption applies to projects where the first application for critical permissions—such as in-principle approval, no objection certificate (NOC), government order, or any other such approvals—was made before the October 1, 2022 deadline. These approvals must have been sought from entities such as distribution licensees, state transmission utilities (STUs), state load despatch centres (SLDCs), or other relevant state and central agencies, as per the respective state or Union Territory policies or electricity regulatory commission rules.
This clarification seeks to allay concerns from developers and stakeholders involved in open access and net-metering projects, as several projects initiated before the 2022 amendments were unsure about the applicability of the updated ALMM regulations. With this clarification, MNRE confirms that such projects will not be subject to the ALMM listing requirement, provided the necessary permissions were obtained before the specified cut-off date.
“This move by MNRE provides much-needed clarity and relief to ongoing projects that were in an uncertain regulatory environment due to the changes introduced in 2022,” said an energy expert.
The clarification also applies to projects with existing applications for open access or net-metering as per the rules of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) or the respective State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs). It is likely to benefit a range of renewable energy developers, including those involved in large-scale solar, wind, and other renewable energy projects.
