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MNRE Mandates Use of Undiffused Wafers for DCR-Compliant Solar Cells

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has ruled that only solar cells manufactured using undiffused wafers will qualify under the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) policy, effectively banning diffused (blue) wafers. This decision aims to ensure that critical manufacturing processes—diffusion, printing, and metallization—occur entirely within India, strengthening the domestic solar sector.

Key Policy Changes & Industry Impact:

• Prohibition of Diffused Wafers:
  • Undiffused wafers, also known as "black wafers", must undergo diffusion, anti-reflective coating, and metallization within India.
  • This prevents companies from importing pre-diffused wafers and only performing final processing steps domestically.
• Strengthening India's Solar Manufacturing:
  • The new rule prevents circumvention of DCR norms, ensuring more value-added manufacturing in India.
  • While India currently imports all its silicon wafers, all major domestic cell manufacturers already process undiffused wafers.
• Verification & Compliance:
  • Module manufacturers rely on DCR certificates issued by cell manufacturers to track compliance.
  • Since no major players import blue wafers anymore, the new mandate is expected to have minimal impact on existing supply chains.

This policy reinforces India's push for self-reliance in solar manufacturing, preventing reliance on partially processed imports and promoting a stronger domestic ecosystem for high-efficiency solar cells.