The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has extended the deadline for the self-certification of solar photovoltaic modules (crystalline and thin film, including bifacial type) by three months.

The new deadline is March 31, 2019.

However, the relaxation is incumbent upon the fact that module manufacturers should have valid IEC test reports from international test labs corresponding to Indian standards.

In the latest notification issued by MNRE, it states –

In case of SPV modules, while extending the date of self-certification to January 1,2019, a condition was imposed that this extension would be eligible only for those manufacturers who had submitted samples to test labs before or on October 31,2018

Therefore, the only manufacturers who have submitted their samples for testing before October 31, 2018 will get the benefit of extension.The extension for self-certification of solar modules has been given keeping in view that in many cases the test laboratories have not been able to complete the tests, or the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)  is yet to issue the registration certificate.

Previously, MNRE had issued a notification to extend the date of self-certification of six solar products from September 20, 2018 to January 1, 2019. Before that, Mercom earlier reported that the MNRE had extended the self-certification deadline from June 30, 2018 to September 4, 2018.

Earlier, realizing the need of quality products to be used in solar projects, the government had mandated that the tests must be conducted by labs for compulsory registration with the BIS for the implementation of the order titled Solar Photovoltaics Systems, Devices and Component Goods Order 2017.

Since the notification was released in September 5, 2017, the deadline has been extended several times as the industry has been seeking more and more time for the compliance of the order due to lack of lab facilities.

Mercom has reported before that the dearth of testing laboratories and the arduous, time-taking process are adversely affecting the implementation of quality guidelines.

Recently, a similar extension of deadline was given for solar inverters by six months. The new deadline is June 30, 2019. The decision was taken after the MNRE officials recently met with all the stakeholders.

This month, the MNRE has also issued a memorandum requesting for views of stakeholders on the BIS standards for solar PV water pumping systems.