The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has introduced guidelines for the registration of solar photovoltaic modules and inverters under the PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. This aims to help consumers make informed decisions when choosing high-efficiency products with improved warranties for their rooftop solar installations.
Solar modules must achieve a minimum 3-star rating according to the Bureau of Energy Efficiency’s (BEE) star labelling programme for solar modules, which was introduced in October 2023. The modules must also have a minimum rated capacity of 500 W and a product warranty lasting for minimum ten years from the commissioning date, providing coverage for manufacturing defects. Additionally, they must achieve a minimum fill factor of 77 per cent under standard test conditions. Meanwhile, inverters must meet the criteria of the BEE’s energy labelling programme for inverters and offer a minimum product warranty of eight years from the commissioning date, which includes coverage for manufacturing defects. The minimum overall efficiency required for hybrid inverters varies based on their power ratings: 92 per cent for 1 kW inverters, 93 per cent for 1-3 kW inverters, 95 per cent for 3-5 kW inverters, 96 per cent for 5-10 kW inverters, and 97 per cent for 10-20 kW inverters. Efficiency requirements increase with higher power ratings.
The nodal agency for enrollment will be the National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE). Enlistment is optional, though, facilities that use models that are not enlisted will still be qualified for programme subsidies as long as they follow the rules.