MNRE revises module efficiency for off-grid projects under ALMM

For utility-scale and grid-scale power projects, crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules must maintain a minimum efficiency of 20%, while cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film modules are required to meet a threshold of 19%. Similarly, for rooftop solar systems and solar-powered pumps, the minimum efficiency standards remain at 19.5% for c-Si modules and 18.5% for CdTe modules.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has updated the minimum efficiency requirements for solar modules listed under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM). These revisions specifically apply to off-grid solar power projects and applications such as solar lamps, streetlights, fans, and similar systems where each solar module has a capacity of less than 200 Wp. Notably, solar-powered agricultural pumps and rooftop systems are excluded from these changes. Under the revised norms, the minimum efficiency requirement for crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules has been reduced from 19 percent to 18 percent  . Meanwhile, the efficiency standard for cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film modules remains unchanged at 18 percent. 

To accommodate these off-grid systems, MNRE has created a separate list within the ALMM framework, titled ALMM List-I (DRE), which will operate independently from the main ALMM List-I. Additionally, MNRE has introduced a new fourth category called “Any other application.” This includes solar projects that do not fall under utility/grid-scale, rooftop, solar pump, or off-grid classifications. For this category, the minimum efficiency requirements are set at 19 percent for c-Si modules and 18 percent   for CdTe thin-film modules. 

The minimum efficiency requirements remain unchanged for solar modules across various applications. For utility-scale and grid-scale power projects, crystalline silicon (c-Si) modules must maintain a minimum efficiency of 20 percent, while cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film modules are required to meet a threshold of 19 percent  . Similarly, for rooftop solar systems and solar-powered pumps, the minimum efficiency standards remain at 19.5 percent for c-Si modules and 18.5 percent for CdTe modules.