The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has amended the standard operating procedure (SOP) for prototype testing under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers for Wind (ALMM-Wind) and wind turbine components (ALMM-WTC).

The amendment issued revises the SOP titled “Performance Efficiency and Safety Issues.” Prototype testing in India will become mandatory in two years. This is to give time for manufacturers to comply with domestic prototype testing standards.

The committee, which is responsible for evaluating wind turbines, will continue to deliberate on turbine performance, ensuring that the power curve is tested and certified by an accredited laboratory in accordance with IEC 61400-12-1 standards and that all supporting performance data aligns with regulatory expectations, including performance in representative geographical conditions.

All other clauses of the SOP remain unchanged.

In October this year, MNRE had issued the SOP for ALMM (Wind) and ALMM-WTC.

For a wind turbine model to qualify under ALMM (Wind), it must possess a valid type certificate issued by an accredited certification body. The certificate must clearly identify the associated components, such as blades, towers, gearboxes, generators, and bearings.

The type certificate’s approved component list serves as the formal input for the ALMM-WTC process, establishing direct traceability between turbine models and approved components.

In August this year, MNRE renamed the Revised List of Models and Manufacturers of Wind Turbines as ALMM (Wind).

In July this year, MNRE amended the criteria for micro-siting onshore wind power to focus on optimized output rather than the minimum distance between turbines.

The guidelines allow developers to leverage advanced wind flow modeling and optimization tools to determine the most efficient placement of wind turbine generators within their allocated land.

In April this year, the Ministry released draft amendments to the procedure for including wind turbine models in the Revised List of Models and Manufacturers.