The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) extended the exemption from the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List II requirement for solar cells for net metering and open access renewable energy projects commissioned on or before December 31, 2026.

For much of the past decade, innovation focused on improving cell chemistry and lowering manufacturing costs. Today, the industry’s focus is shifting from cell-level performance to system-level optimization. The move toward higher-capacity battery cells is driving this transition. Following the widespread adoption of 280Ah and 314Ah lithium iron phosphate cells, manufacturers are introducing 587Ah, 600Ah+, and even 1,000Ah+ cell platforms.

Maharashtra’s evolving renewable energy regulations have shifted the commercial and industrial solar market from maximizing solar generation to optimizing when and how renewable energy is consumed. Developers say project viability increasingly depends on load matching, storage integration, and regulatory certainty rather than installed capacity or annual energy yield.

Global solar companies raised $16.9 billion in corporate funding during the first half (1H) of 2026, a 56% year-over-year (YoY) increase from $10.8 billion in the corresponding period of 2025, according to Mercom Capital Group’s 1H and Q2 2026 Solar Funding and M&A Report.

Solar has continued to dominate India’s renewable energy landscape. Installed solar capacity reached 163.7 GW, accounting for 29.7% of the country’s total power capacity and 56.4% of its renewable energy capacity. The addition of new projects during the quarter increased installed solar capacity by 7.7% quarter-over-quarter and 40.7% YoY, underscoring solar’s continued leadership in India’s capacity expansion and its growing contribution to the country’s evolving power mix.

India’s energy storage pipeline crossed 110 GWh across the under-development and pre-construction stages, according to data from the Mercom India Renewable Energy Project Tracker. The pipeline includes battery energy storage systems (BESS) and pumped storage projects.

India’s renewable energy landscape continued to evolve in the second quarter (Q2) of 2026, with policy measures placing greater emphasis on grid integration, domestic manufacturing, transmission planning, energy storage, and regulatory compliance as the country prepares for the next phase of renewable energy growth, according to Mercom India’s newly released Q2 2026 Renewable Energy Policy Impact Report.

Accounting for 18% of India’s total solar installations in Q1 2026, the rooftop solar segment has been a key growth driver in the country’s efforts to fast-track its clean energy transition. However, the rooftop solar segment is grappling with persistent shortages due to the limited availability of domestic content requirement-compliant TOPCon modules.

India added 1.3 GW of wind power capacity in Q2 of calendar year 2026, down 15% from the previous quarter and 18% from the same period last year, according to Mercom India Research. Wind installations slowed in Q2 2026 as project execution was affected by supply chain constraints and infrastructure bottlenecks rather than weak demand.

India’s renewable energy sector attracted foreign direct investment inflows of $3.02 billion (~₹264.12 billion) during the financial year (FY) 2026. Although this represents a 24.8% decline from the record $4.01 billion (~₹337.97 billion) in FY 2024-25, it is still the second-highest annual inflow since FY 2010-11.

India must set enhanced solar energy targets to provide long-term demand visibility for manufacturers, developers, investors, and financiers, and to support infrastructure development, transmission rollout, and resource planning, Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group, said at the Mercom India Renewables Summit 2026.

The Central Electricity Authority recommended the use of 100% grid-forming inverters in all future BESS projects to strengthen grid stability as renewable energy capacity continues to grow.

MNRE issued an advisory to distribution companies and electricity departments recommending that they allow a capacity tolerance of up to 10% in the direct current (DC) capacity of rooftop solar systems installed under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.

India’s battery energy storage market will require stronger market design, phased domestic manufacturing, better monetization mechanisms, and continued policy support to build a bankable ecosystem capable of supporting the country’s renewable energy expansion, panelists said at the Mercom India’s Renewable Energy Summit 2026.

At a panel discussion “Closing the Gap: Building Integrated Solar Manufacturing Value Chain” at the Mercom India Renewables Summit 2026, panelists said the current supply chain imbalance should be viewed as a short-term transition rather than a structural problem

The All India Solar Module Manufacturers urged Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi to provide an 18-month, output-linked transition for the mandatory use of solar cells listed under the ALMM List-II across all project categories.

Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi emphasized the importance of India developing a circular economy for clean energy technologies during his address at the Mercom India Renewables Summit 2026.