The Bureau of Indian Standards, BIS on January 27, 2025, notified the Solar Systems, Devices and Components Goods Order, 2025 in supersession of the Solar Photovoltaics, Systems, Devices and Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2017.
The following has been stated-
In accordance with the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016, the term "Act" refers to the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, and the "appropriate authority" includes any officer holding the rank of Director or Scientist 'E' in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) or its associated offices, as authorized by the Secretary of MNRE. The goods or articles specified in the order must conform to the corresponding Indian Standards listed in the Table, and they are required to bear the ‘Standard Mark’ under a licence from BIS according to the Scheme-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. However, this obligation does not apply to goods or articles that are meant for export.
The Bureau of Indian Standards is designated as the certifying and enforcing authority for the goods or articles specified. It will conduct market surveillance to ensure that the listed goods comply with the Indian Standards. This surveillance will be carried out by BIS or agencies notified by the Bureau, in consultation with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Additionally, this Order does not affect the validity of licences already issued under the Solar Photovoltaics, Systems, Devices, and Components Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2017. The registration process for new goods, the grant of licences, and renewals of existing licences will now be governed by the provisions of this new Order.
Any person who contravenes the provisions outlined in this Order will face penalties under the BIS Act, 2016. The appropriate authority has the power to issue directions to individuals or entities involved in the manufacture, import, distribution, sale, or exhibition of the listed goods to provide necessary information for enforcing the Order. All persons to whom directions are issued must comply with these directives. Furthermore, for the grant of licences under this Order, there are specific minimum efficiency requirements for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. These include a required efficiency of 18% for Mono Crystalline Silicon Terrestrial PV modules and 17% for Poly Crystalline Silicon Terrestrial PV modules, as per Standard Test Conditions (STC). Efficiency is calculated based on the maximum PV output and the area of the module's front surface, as specified in IS 14286 standards.
[Notification No. S.O. 492(E)]
