ALMM Compliance 2026: What Every Indian Solar EPC Must Know

What Is ALMM and Why It Exists

The Approved List of Models and Manufacturers is maintained by MNRE. It lists solar modules and inverters that have been tested and certified to Indian quality standards and are eligible for use in solar projects receiving central government funding, including PM Surya Ghar subsidies, SECI tenders, and state scheme incentives.

The purpose of ALMM is to keep substandard and uncertified equipment out of government-funded solar installations. India had significant problems in the early 2010s with low-quality panels entering the market on price, underperforming within three to five years, and creating a customer trust crisis for the entire industry. ALMM is the regulatory response. It is also part of India's broader domestic manufacturing push, with the PLI scheme running in parallel to build domestic solar manufacturing capacity.

ALMM List I vs List II: What Changes in June 2026

ALMM has two lists. List I covers solar photovoltaic modules. This has been in effect since 2021 for most government-funded projects and for PM Surya Ghar since the scheme's launch. List II extends the compliance requirement to solar inverters. The deadline for mandatory ALMM List II compliance for central government-funded projects — including PM Surya Ghar — is June 2026.

The Key Error: Brand vs Model Number

ALMM List II lists specific models, not entire brand catalogues. A manufacturer may have ten inverter models, of which only four are ALMM List II-listed. The other six are not compliant regardless of the brand's reputation. An EPC may use a Sungrow inverter they have used successfully for two years, not realising that the particular model they stock is not on the current List II, even though other Sungrow models are. Always check the model number against the current list — not just the brand name.

ALMM Compliance Checklist for EPCs Before June 2026

1. Audit your current procurement pipeline

Cross-reference every panel and inverter model in your current stock or pending orders against ALMM List I and List II respectively. Download the latest MNRE ALMM notification from mnre.gov.in. Do this now, not in May.

2. Update your approved vendor list

Your procurement team should have a standing list of ALMM-compliant panel and inverter models that is updated monthly. If you are ordering equipment without checking this list, you are taking on subsidy risk with every order.

3. Revise your proposal templates

Every proposal you send to a PM Surya Ghar-eligible customer must specify ALMM-compliant equipment. If your proposal software does not flag non-ALMM equipment at the design stage, you are relying on your engineer's memory to catch compliance issues. That is not a system. It is a gamble.

4. Brief your sales team on the inverter deadline

Your sales reps closing residential projects in May and June 2026 need to know that the inverter compliance rules are changing. If a project is being designed in April but installed in July, the inverter must be ALMM List II-compliant from procurement, not just from installation.

5. Check DISCOM empanelment requirements

Some DISCOMs are updating their empanelled vendor lists to require ALMM List II inverter compliance as a condition of empanelment renewal. Check with your local DISCOM office whether this applies in your operating area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Does ALMM compliance apply to all solar projects or only government-funded ones?

Mandatory ALMM compliance currently applies to projects receiving central or state government funding, subsidies, or connected to schemes like PM Surya Ghar, SECl tenders, and state nodal agency schemes. Many DISCOMs are moving toward requiring ALMM compliance for all grid-connected systems as a condition of net metering approval, so the practical scope of the requirement is expanding beyond formally funded projects.

Q2. How often is the ALMM List updated?

MNRE updates the ALMM lists periodically - typically several times a year. There is no fixed schedule. New manufacturers and models are added as they complete the certification process, and manufacturers who fail to maintain certification standards can be removed. EPCs should check the current list at mnre.gov.in before every procurement batch, not once per quarter.

Q3. If a brand is on the ALMM List, does that mean all of its models are compliant?

No. ALMM lists specific models, not entire brand catalogues. A manufacturer may have ten inverter models, of which only four are ALMM List Il-listed. Always verify the specific model number, not just the brand name. This is the most common source of compliance errors among EPCs who use the same brand repeatedly without rechecking.

Q4. What is the difference between ALMM List I and List II?

ALMM List I covers solar photovoltaic modules (panels). ALMM List I| covers solar inverters. Both lists require products to meet specific testing and certification standards before they can be used in government-funded or subsidy-eligible solar projects in India.

Q5. Can I complete projects with non-ALMM inverters if they were procured before the June 2026 deadline?

This is a nuanced regulatory question and the answer may vary depending on specific MNRE guidance closer to the deadline. Generally, the compliance requirement applies to the commissioning date, not the procurement date. EPCs should seek clarity from MNRE or their state nodal agency before assuming that pre-deadline procurement provides an exemption for post-deadline commissioning.

Sources

• MNRE — ALMM List I and List II notifications, April 2026 · mnre.gov.in
• MNRE — PM Surya Ghar scheme implementation guidelines, 2024 · pmsuryaghar.gov.in
• Government of India — Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Solar PV Modules, 2022 · india.gov.in
• IEC — IEC 61683: Photovoltaic Systems, Power Conditioners (inverter test standard) · iec.ch