MNRE clarifies that ALMM List-II applicability for government rooftop solar projects depends on bid submission dates or project commissioning timelines
Some projects awarded between December 9, 2024 and July 28, 2025 will continue to follow the requirements specified in their tender documents
The memorandum consolidates and explains existing ALMM List-II provisions for government rooftop solar projects
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has provided greater clarity on Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) List-II compliance for rooftop solar projects on government buildings.
The clarification, explains the MNRE, addresses stakeholder queries and explains how existing ALMM rules apply across different categories of government rooftop projects.
Issued on July 6, 2026, the memorandum clarifies that for government rooftop solar projects awarded through bidding, eligibility for exemption from ALMM List-II depends on the last date of bid submission.
Projects with bid submission deadlines on or before December 9, 2024, and those between July 28, 2025 and August 31, 2025, will remain exempt from using ALMM List-II-listed solar PV cells.
Projects with bid deadlines between December 9, 2024 and July 28, 2025 will continue to be governed by the provisions specified in their respective tender documents, while those with bid submission deadlines after August 31, 2025 must comply with ALMM List-II requirements.
For rooftop solar projects on government buildings under net metering or open access that were not awarded through bidding, the ministry said projects commissioned before June 1, 2026 remain exempt from ALMM List-II. Projects commissioned after that date must use ALMM-listed solar PV cells unless they receive an approved commissioning extension under MNRE's earlier guidelines issued on May 25, 2026 (see MNRE Keeps ALMM List-II Deadline, Allows Case-Based Relief).
The clarification does not introduce new exemptions or amend the existing ALMM framework. Instead, it brings together provisions issued through previous office memorandums and FAQs to provide clarity on their application to government rooftop solar projects.
The latest clarification follows a series of MNRE communications on ALMM List-II implementation on June 1, 2026 (see India Brings ALMM List-II For Solar Cells Into Force).
Earlier the ministry issued a separate clarification granting a temporary ALMM List-II exemption for eligible PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana beneficiaries opting for the ‘Give It Up’ category (see MNRE Clarifies ALMM List-II Exemption For PM Surya Ghar Users).
