MNRE Offers 6 Months Extension for Self Certification of Solar Inverters

MNRE has extended the deadline for the self-certification of inverters for PV applications in the country by a period of 6 months, to December 31, 2020.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has announced that it has extended the deadline for the self-certification of inverters for PV applications in the country by a period of 6 months. Extending the deadline from June 30, 2020, to December 31, 2020.

In its notification, the ministry has cleared that based on the issues faced by firms during the pandemic, and due to COVID-19 lockdown disruptions the industry sought more time for compliance, and therefore it has extended the deadline again. However, the deadline is subject to the condition that manufacturers have valid International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) accreditation and test reports from international test labs for the smooth implementation of the order.

Realising the need for quality components in solar projects, the government had mandated that laboratories must conduct the tests for compulsory registration with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for the implementation of the quality order.

In January, had extended the deadline for a period of 6 months from December 31, 2019, to June 30, 2019. In its notification, the ministry had stated that considering the issues relating to testing, and the level of preparation of test labs, the industry had sought more time for compliance, and therefore it had extended the deadline.

Earlier in October 2019, the ministry had extended the deadline for the self-certification of solar inverters by a period of 3 months to December 31, 2019. Prior to this, the deadline was extended from June 30, 2019, to September 30, 2019, this extension itself was in followup of a longer 6-month extension that the ministry had afforded the concerned stakeholders when it extended the deadline from December 31, 2018.

In August 2019, the MNRE had issued the guidelines for the series approval of solar PV inverters for conducting testing in test labs for the implementation of Quality Control Solar Photovoltaics Systems, Devices and Component Goods Order 2017.

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