The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) had notified the above mentioned Quality Control (Requirement for Compulsory Registration under BIS Act) Order 2017 Solar PV systems/Devices/Components Goods vide Government of India Gazette notification No. 2561 dated 5th September 2017. As per this notification the specified standards shall come into force on expiry of one year from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
The MNRE has initiated action for implementation of the said order. The test labs are being set-up for performance testing and certification of all products as per standards given in the said Quality Control Order 2017. Later on it was felt that the date for enforcement of the Quality Control Order 2017 dated 5.9.2017 for quality assurance as per the specified standards should be brought forward in order to ensure that quality control benefits the industry at the earliest possible. In this regard, the Ministry had sought inputs and suggestions from the various stakeholders.
The preparedness of test labs has been reviewed in consultation with Bureau Indian Standards (BIS) and test labs. It has now been decided that the said order in respect of SPV Modules shall come into force w.e.f. 1.4.2018 except for fire test which will be effective w.e.f. 1.07.2018. All test labs will set up fire test facility as per the specified standards, with BIS approval by 1.07.2018. For supplies from 1.04.2018 to 30.06.2018, the representatives of the manufactures would submit samples to an authorised lab for testing and give a selfcertification that the module adheres to the prescribed standards. In case the sample fails to conform to the Indian Standards, the project developer will be penalised as per the provision contained in the Quality Control Order and guidelines of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. For invertor testing, test labs have been requested to obtain approval of BIS by 31.03.2018 for testing invertors of capacities up to 100kW and by 1.09.2018 for capacities more than 100kW. The word “Power Convertors” is replaced with “Invertors” at Sl. No. 4 in the schedule of the Quality Control Order.
BIS has been requested to follow the guidelines for registration of products and test labs. The MNRE will bring out a list of test labs approved by BIS by the end of March, 2018, which will be uploaded on MNRE web for public information. The revised Quality Control Order 2017 with schedule as above will be notified.
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