ALMM: Waaree Remains At Top, Goldi Solar Picks Pace

The latest Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM), issued by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), has reported significant changes in various solar companies' cumulative solar module manufacturing capacities. A comparison of the total capacities of 95 solar module manufacturing units listed under the ALMM revealed that Waaree Energies remained at the top with a cumulative annual solar module manufacturing capacity of 11.91 GW. On the other hand, Goldi Solar also surprised the industry with its new mega additions.

While Waaree’s Navasari plant has the largest enlisted solar module manufacturing capacity of 9,668 MW, its Nandigram village (Valsad district) plant has a capacity of 1,156 MW. On the other hand, its Tumb plant in the Valsad district has a capacity of 1,095 MW.

Capacity of Waaree Energies from its different solar module manufacturing plants. Source: ALMM

Goldi Solar Picks Pace

One surprising moment in the latest ALMM was the upsurge in the total capacity of Goldi Solar. The Surat-based company added 2,942 MW of new solar capacities. This was attributed to the fresh addition of 1,474 MW of new capacities from its Dhamdod solar module manufacturing plant in the Surat district. The new Dhamdod plant is fully dedicated to the production of bifacial n-type TOPCon modules.

The company earlier in February told Saur Energy that the firm had around 10 GW of solar module manufacturing capacity under construction. The firm has planned to add 20 GW of solar module capacity by the end of the current financial year. The firm was earlier ranked among the top 10 solar module makers from the country but had not emerged among the top 5 players until now.

Capacity of Goldi Solar from its different solar module manufacturing plants. Source: ALMM

India's Top 5 Solar Module Manufacturers (ALMM-Based)

A comparison of the latest ALMM list revealed that Waaree Energies leads the space, it is followed by Tata Power Group, which includes Tata Power Renewable and TP Solar. The TP Solar plant of the group has the highest enlisted capacity of 5,222 MW. While Goldi Solar was at the third slot in terms of the highest ALMM enlisted capacity, ReNew Photovoltaics stood at fourth with a capacity of 4,608 MW. Mundra (Adani) Solar, on the other hand, stood in the fifth slot with a total capacity of 3.919 MW.

Readers should note that enlisted capacity is not equal to total capacity for manufacturers, as many chose to seek enlistment for a part of their capacity, or in phases. That explains why ALMM based capacity versus actual capacity in the country has a 20-25% gap today.