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					</table>The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MNRE</a>) has reduced the application and inspection fees for enlistment in the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). The application fees have been reduced by 80% compared to the earlier structure.
The Ministry also increased the ALMM enlistment validity from two years to four years.
Commenting on the changes, B.S. Bhalla, Secretary, MNRE, said that the changes in the ALMM for photovoltaic modules would enhance the ease of doing business and help ramp up the domestic production of solar photovoltaic modules for catering to the current and future demand.
For solar module and cell manufacturers having a total installed capacity less than or equal to 50 MW/year, the application fee has been set as ₹500 (~$6.08)/MW of the total installed production capacity of the applicant.
If the application consists of multiple models, an additional fee of 1% of the application fee for the first model for every additional model will be applicable.
For solar modules and cell manufacturers with a total installed capacity of more than 50 MW/year, an application fee of ₹1,000 (~$12.16)/MW of the total installed capacity of solar modules and cells will apply. For multiple models, the applicable fee will increase by 1% for every additional model.
Further, if the applicant is already enlisted in the ALMM list, then the application fee for every new model will be 10% of the application fee for the first model and 1% of the application fee for every new model.
<a href="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Application-Fee.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-53899 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Application-Fee.png" alt="MNRE ALMM Application Fee" width="627" height="241" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Application-Fee.png 627w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Application-Fee-300x115.png 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Application-Fee-624x240.png 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Application-Fee-600x231.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /></a>
The enlistment of additional models will not have any effect on the validity of the original enlistment.
There has been a substantial reduction in the inspection fee, with a reduction in some instances being as high as 70%.
<a href="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Inspection-Fee-1-1.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-53902 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Inspection-Fee-1-1.png" alt="MNRE ALMM Inspection Fee -1" width="555" height="347" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Inspection-Fee-1-1.png 555w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MNRE-ALMM-Inspection-Fee-1-1-300x188.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 555px) 100vw, 555px" /></a>
The Ministry has provided an exemption from factory inspection in the case of enlistment of additional models in the ALMM list, which are similar to those already enlisted by the applicant but having a lower voltage.
But factory inspection will be done if the wattage of models proposed to be enlisted is higher than the wattage of already enlisted models.
Also, the Ministry has stated that applications received before the issuance of this order and pending inspection can be withdrawn and submitted as a fresh one, for which the inspection fee mentioned above will be applicable.
However, if the manufacturers withdraw their applications prior to factory inspection, the inspection fee will be fully refunded without any interest.
For applications submitted after the issuance of this order, the manufacturer can withdraw their applications before factory inspection, with a refund of 90% of the application fee.
A provisional ALMM enlistment will be granted within seven days of BIS certification, and a time limit of two months will be provided for factory inspection and final enlistment, failing which the provisional enlistment will be deemed the final enlistment.
The Ministry has also introduced category-wise minimum module efficiency thresholds for enlistment in ALMM. For utility-scale projects, the minimum module efficiency required to be eligible for enlistment has been set as 20%. For rooftop and solar pumping, the module efficiency should be 19.5%, and for solar lighting, it should be 19%.
The ALMM order has been <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/mnre-almm-exemption-solar-projects-march-31-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kept</a> in abeyance for one financial year, i.e., FY 2023-24. Thus, projects commissioned by March 31, 2024, will be exempted from the requirement of procuring solar modules from ALMM.
In March this year, MNRE <a href="https://www.mercomindia.com/almm-enlistment-co-branded-solar-modules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">modified</a> the ALMM guidelines and provided exceptions to broaden the qualification criteria for modules produced under agreements between an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and a brand owner.
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Government Cuts Solar Module Makers’ Fees to Enlist as Approved Suppliers

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (<a href="https://mnre.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MNRE</a>) has issued amendments to the existing provisions for enlistment under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM).
According to the notification, the inspection fee for manufacturing capacity up to 50 MW has been cut in half to ₹250,000 (~$3,418) from the existing ₹500,000 (~$6,837). For capacity more than 50 MW and up to 100 MW, the inspection fee remains ₹500,000 (~$6,837), and for capacity greater than 100 MW and up to 250 MW, it will be ₹1 million (~$13,674). The fee will remain ₹1.5 million (~$20,512) for a capacity greater than 250 MW. This will apply to the units situated in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries.
The &lt;50 MW manufacturing capacity is mainly owned by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who are already reeling under the additional investment threat with the <a href="https://mercomindia.com/changing-wafer-sizes-cost-module-manufacturers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">advent</a> of larger size wafers used in cell and module manufacturing.
<a href="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ALMM-notification.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-24324 size-full" src="https://mercomindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ALMM-notification.png" alt="ALMM notification" width="633" height="249" srcset="https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ALMM-notification.png 633w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ALMM-notification-300x118.png 300w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ALMM-notification-624x245.png 624w, https://mercomindia.s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ALMM-notification-600x236.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 633px) 100vw, 633px" /></a>
In October 2018, the MNRE <a href="https://mercomindia.com/mnre-issues-requirements-solar-manufacturing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">issued</a> an order to enlist eligible models and manufacturers of solar modules and published a list called the ALMM to monitor the quality and reliability of components being used in government-owned solar projects. According to the ALMM Order 2019, List I  consists of models and manufacturers of solar PV modules, and List II comprises models and manufacturers of solar cells.
The notification said guidelines were issued to develop new modes of renewable energy projects like wind-solar hybrid projects and round-the-clock renewable energy projects.
Keeping this in mind, MNRE issued another modification to the guidelines. The amended guideline says, &#8220;Only the models and manufacturers included in this list will be eligible for use in government, government-assisted projects, projects under government programs installed in the country, including projects set up for sale of electricity to the government under the guidelines issued by the central government and amended thereof.&#8221;
MNRE said that the ALMM order in respect of List-I (modules) List-II (cells) would be applicable only for projects for which the bids are issued after one month of publication of the list. The ministry said that the bidding agencies should obtain a declaration from the bidders that they are aware of the provisions of the ALMM order and the list while quoting tariff in the bid.
The deadline for <a href="https://mercomindia.com/solar-industry-awaits-almm-extension/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">implementing</a> ALMM has expired, and the industry is still in limbo. There&#8217;s no update yet on the new deadline as the previous <a href="https://mercomindia.com/solar-industry-covid-19-almm-deadline-extended/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">deadline</a> of September 30, 2020, has passed.
The industry is also waiting for clarity on the implementation process as the pandemic will be affecting regulations mandating inspection of facilities in India and outside.
In July last year, MNRE <a href="https://mercomindia.com/almm-solar-auctions-order-implemented/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">issued</a> a notice stating that it would set up a committee to review issues related to the ALMM of solar PV modules. The MNRE stated that the committee would recommend the manner and date of implementation of the ALMM order and submit its report within 15 days of being constituted. But there has been no update on any recommendations by this committee so far.
Earlier, Mercom had <a href="https://mercomindia.com/almm-listing-solar-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">written</a> about the consequences of the government&#8217;s decision to go ahead with the ALMM order, which has raised more questions than it has answered.

No Update on ALMM Extension, Inspection Fee for Solar Manufacturing Enlistment Reduced

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