MNRE Eases ALMM Cell Rules for Net Metering, Open Access Bids

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued amendments exempting certain government solar projects from using solar cells enlisted in ALMM List-II and limiting ALMM compliance to using only solar PV modules enlisted in ALMM List-I.

The exemption under MNRE's notification applies to government projects under Net Metering, Behind-the-Meter, and Open Access mechanisms, with the last date of bid submission on or before 31 August 2025 — exactly one month after the publication of ALMM List-II for solar PV cells on 31 July 2025.

According to Clause 5 of MNRE’s 28 July 2025 notification, such projects are not required to use solar PV cells from ALMM List-II and must only comply with ALMM List-I module requirements. However, Clause 8 of the same notification appeared to contradict this by mandating that Net Metering and Open Access projects commissioned on or after 1 June 2026 must use solar PV cells from ALMM List-II, regardless of bid date.

Background

This contradiction prompted clarification requests, and MNRE has now confirmed that the Clause 5 exemption applies to eligible government projects under Net Metering, Behind-the-Meter, and Open Access, provided their bids were submitted before the cut-off date.

There is no relaxation for projects under schemes or programmes requiring domestically manufactured solar PV cells and modules. MNRE clarified: “If such government projects are under any scheme, programme, or other initiative mandating the use of domestically manufactured solar PV cells and domestically manufactured solar PV modules, there shall be no relaxation in such domestic content requirement on account of MNRE's notification on 28 July 2025.”