MNRE Issues Standard Format For Test Report Of Solar Water Pumps

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has now issued a new office memorandum prescribing a standard format for the solar photovoltaic water pumping system test report. It comes after almost a few months after the ministry issued specifications and testing procedures for the same.

The ministry said that the move was taken to reduce the cases of use of different formats for reporting by the testing agencies. The move will likely streamline testing solar pumps used in the PM-KUSUM scheme.

"Ministry has issued the updated specifications and testing procedure for the solar PV water pumping systems to be used in the agriculture sector on March 22, 2023. So far, different labs follow different formats for the test report of the SPV water pumping system," the order from the ministry said.

It also added, "In order to standardize the format across all the labs in the country, a standard format of the test report is being issued which is to be followed by all the labs testing solar water pumping system under the PM-KUSUM scheme with immediate effect."

The new format mandates the labs to take down the details of the date of submission, the names of the motor and pump manufacturers, the controller manufacturer number, the number of stages in the pump, the diameter of the stage of the pump, gross weight of the motor and pump among others.

It also asks the labs to take down the details of the solar modules, their ratings, and capacities and also write down the testing procedure adopted. The format also allows the labs to fill in details on the major equipment used. There are several other columns where the labs fully describe the details of the performance and parts of the whole system.

Earlier, The ministry issued a detailed norm for the standards of use of solar modules in solar water pumps and other solar interventions to bring uniformity in the segment.