India sees 8-fold rise in solar PV manufacturing capacity; PM Modi hails the achievement

India has reached 100 GW of solar PV module manufacturing capacity, as given under the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) for Solar PV Modules. This paves India’s way for building a self-reliant solar manufacturing ecosystem. In 2014, the country had merely 2.3GW of solar module manufacturing capacity.

“This is yet another milestone towards self-reliance! It depicts the success of India's manufacturing capabilities and our efforts towards popularising clean energy,” said PM Narendra Modi in a post on X on Wednesday.

The ALMM for Solar PV Modules is a list certified by the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) and maintained by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to ensure that only quality solar PV module models and manufacturers are approved for use in various solar projects, particularly those supported by the government.

“Driven by the visionary leadership of PM and transformative initiatives like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for High-Efficiency Solar Modules, we are building a robust, self-reliant solar manufacturing ecosystem. This achievement strengthens our path towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and the target of 500 GW non-fossil capacity by 2030,” said Pralhad Joshi, union minister, MNRE, in a post on X.

The government had announced a slew of initiatives in strengthening solar ecosystem in India including the PLI Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, that enabled private sector participation.

India has set a target to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.

The MNRE had issued the ALMM Order in January 2019, and had published the first ALMM list for solar PV modules only in March 2021, with an enlisted capacity of about 8.2 GW. In just over four years, the capacity has increased more than twelvefold, crossing 100 GW. The number of manufacturers has grown from 21 in 2021 to 100, currently operating 123 manufacturing units.

This expansion has been driven by both established companies and new entrants, many of which have adopted high-efficiency technologies and vertically integrated operations. The increase in capacity and number of manufacturers has created a manufacturing base capable of meeting domestic requirements and contributing to global markets.