ALMM: Why Your Solar Panels Must Be on the Government’s Approved List

Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)
Mechanism: Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM)

ALMM is MNRE’s mechanism for ensuring that solar modules used in government-supported and government-linked projects meet quality and domestic-manufacturing criteria. Only manufacturers and specific models that have cleared MNRE’s testing and factory-inspection process are added to the list, and only listed models are eligible for use in projects covered by the mandate.

Where it applies: Government schemes including PM Surya Ghar, PM-KUSUM, CPSU Scheme projects, and most state and central tenders funded or facilitated by the government require ALMM-listed modules. A separate list covers solar cells (List-II), which is being phased in as India builds up domestic cell manufacturing capacity alongside its already-larger module manufacturing base.

Why it matters to buyers: If a homeowner is claiming a PM Surya Ghar subsidy, or a developer is bidding on a government tender, the panels used must be ALMM-listed or the subsidy/tender compliance can be rejected. Buyers should ask installers for the specific model’s ALMM listing status before finalizing a purchase tied to any government scheme.

The policy is also a deliberate industrial-policy lever — by tying subsidy and tender eligibility to domestic manufacturing, it aims to reduce import dependence and build a resilient Indian solar manufacturing base over time.