KSEB Mandates BEE-Certified Solar Inverters for Future Grid-Connected Solar Projects Up to 100 kW

Kerala State Electricity Board Ltd. (KSEB) has approved the implementation of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency's (BEE) mandatory standards and labeling programme for grid-connected solar inverters, making BEE endorsement labels and prescribed efficiency standards compulsory for all future solar projects using inverters of up to 100 kW capacity.

The decision, approved by KSEB's Full Time Directors, aligns the utility's technical specifications with the Government of India's Standards and Labeling Programme under the Energy Conservation Act, 2001, following Gazette notifications issued on November 12, 2025.

The new requirements apply to grid-connected solar inverters with rated capacities of up to and including 100 kW, operating at 230V AC (single-phase) and up to 415V AC (three-phase). Such inverters, whether manufactured or imported into India, must comply with minimum overall efficiency standards specified under IS 17980:2022/IEC 62891:2020 and prominently display a BEE endorsement label indicating their efficiency performance.

Under the notified efficiency benchmarks, inverters must achieve a minimum overall efficiency ranging from 92 percent for units below 1 kW to 98 percent for units above 20 kW. These standards are applicable from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027.

The move follows directions from the Energy Management Centre (EMC) Kerala, the State Designated Agency under the Energy Conservation Act, which instructed KSEB to ensure compliance with the mandatory BEE labeling regime across the utility, empanelled vendors, contractors and consumers.

To implement the new norms, KSEB has decided to revise its technical specifications for all future solar installations to incorporate the mandatory efficiency standards. The Deputy Chief Engineer (Solar Projects) has been authorised to issue instructions to empanelled vendors and contractors to ensure that all installed solar inverters carry valid BEE endorsement labels.

KSEB has also directed field engineers to verify BEE labels and valid test reports from NABL-, NISE- or ILAC-accredited laboratories during material inspection and commissioning of solar power plants.

Additionally, all future tenders for rooftop and ground-mounted solar projects with capacities up to 100 kW will include the mandatory efficiency and BEE labeling requirements as eligibility criteria, ensuring compliance across upcoming solar installations in the state.