Star Ratings of Solar Panels is in Public Interest, says RK Singh

The Government has launched a Standards & Labelling Programme for solar panels to make it easier for citizens to make a judicious decision while purchasing and deploying solar panels. The star labelling scheme prepared by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) for PV modules is from January 1, 2024 till December 31, 2025. There shall be no labelling fee for this period.

The formulation of performance standards will not only enable customers to be better aware of the cost and energy savings from using solar panels but also contribute to the government’s larger goal of enhancing the share of renewable energy and reducing emission intensity of GDP by 45 percent by 2030.

(Source: PIB)

“Our programme for Star Labelling is a world leader. It has resulted in emissions reduction of almost 58 million tonnes of CO2 per annum, Overall, just 3 – 4 programmes of BEE have resulted in a reduction of carbon dioxide emission of almost 300 million tonnes per annum. The assessment is that Star enabling of solar panels will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 million tonnes per annum by 2030. This is necessary for the survival of the planet and of human beings,” said the Minister.

The Minister urged the industry to get themselves registered under the star labelling programme and added that the government will work towards 100 percent Made in India solar PV modules of the best quality.

“We will bring in a policy after 2 years, under which even PV Cells should be manufactured in India and not imported from elsewhere. After a further two years, we will insist on wafer to be made in India so that our solar panels will be 100 percent Made in India and high-quality solar panels, where first cells and later wafers too shall be Made in India. India is not going to be satisfied with second best; we want nothing but the best. So, lesser efficient panels will be removed from the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) over time; outdated models will not be endorsed by the government,” he added.

(Source: PIB)

BEE Director General Abhay Bakre informed that the growth of Solar PV modules has been and will be enormous. It is expected that the Solar PV module efficiency will enhance by 2 percent over its existing levels. Owing to performance improvement, the electricity generation is expected to increase by 33GWh/year and this will offset approximately 27,000 tonnes of CO2 emission per annum.