MNRE: ‘Blue Wafer’ Solar Cells Won’t Qualify as DCR!

In the latest move, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) clarified that solar cells manufactured using ‘blue wafers’ will not qualify under Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) norms. The ministry issued an official notification stating that ‘blue wafers’ refer to diffused wafers, typically imported from countries like China.

This announcement follows MNRE’s timeline for mandating the use of domestically produced solar cells in module manufacturing. Starting June 2026, the ministry will enlist domestic solar cell manufacturers under its Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM).

In its latest notification, the MNRE stated that to meet DCR norms, all stages of solar cell manufacturing—from the undiffused silicon wafer onward—must be completed entirely within India.

MNRE’s latest notification said, “A solar PV cell (based on crystalline-silicon technology) shall be considered domestically manufactured only if it has been produced in India using an undiffused silicon wafer (commonly called a ‘Black Wafer’). This wafer falls under Customs Tariff Head 3818.”

The new regulation also restricts importing raw materials for solar cell manufacturing. In its notification, MNRE clarified: “If a diffused silicon wafer (commonly called a ‘Blue Wafer’) is imported and used as a raw material for manufacturing solar PV cells in India, such cells will not qualify as domestically manufactured under MNRE’s schemes/programs that mandate the use of domestic solar PV cells.”

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Resource: Saur Energy

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