MNRE revises PV module series approval guidelines under QCO 2025

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued revised guidelines for series approval of photovoltaic (PV) modules. The directive, dated 19 December 2025, has been released by the ministry’s Standards and Quality Control Division (SQCD) to support compulsory registration with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under the Solar Systems, Devices and Components Goods Order, 2025 (QCO).

The revised guidelines are intended to facilitate testing laboratories and manufacturers in forming product families for series approval. The framework allows grouping of similar module models while accounting for design and material variations during performance testing, reducing the need for separate certification of each variant.

Under the guidelines, a product family is defined as a group of models with common design, construction and essential components. For series approval, testing laboratories are required to test at least two modules each from the lower end, median and higher end of the declared power range. Testing fees apply only to these sampled modules, and the test report can be extended to other wattage variants within the same family. Product labels for all series models are required to be included in the test report.

The guidelines exclude small solar PV modules ranging from 0.2 W to 20 W used in solar lanterns and luminaires from the series approval framework. Modules up to 5 W will continue to be tested under IS 16476 Part I. For modules in the 5 W to 20 W range, the applicable standard is yet to be notified by BIS and will be incorporated through a revised QCO.

Minimum efficiency requirements specified under QCO 2025 continue to apply. Both the lowest and highest wattage modules in a product family are required to meet the prescribed efficiency thresholds. Where the median module has an identical design and area, separate efficiency testing may not be required. For modules with fewer cells, manufacturers are required to self declare efficiency on the laminate, supported by electrical circuitry drawings submitted to the testing laboratory.

The guidelines also specify mandatory markings to be laminated inside the module glass, except for thin film modules. These include the manufacturer’s name or trademark, model and serial number, nominal wattage with tolerance, year and country of origin, module efficiency at Standard Test Conditions (STC), and brand name where applicable. Testing laboratories have been instructed not to accept modules for testing without these markings.

Retesting will be required in line with IS IEC 62915:2023 if there are changes to the bill of materials or manufacturing process of an approved product family. The revised guidelines take immediate effect and supersede the earlier version issued on 13 August 2025.

The featured photograph is for representation only.