The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has issued a notice on testing procedures for solar refrigerators. MNRE is requesting insights and recommendations from stakeholders, including industry experts, researchers, and the public. This notice was dated December 19, 2023.
The MNRE is now seeking to bolster the adoption of Decentralized Renewable Energy (DRE) applications for sustainable livelihoods. To this objective, the MNRE had issued a framework promoting DRE Livelihood Applications on February 14, 2022. The framework focuses on creating an enabling ecosystem for the widespread use of DRE applications across the country.
Developing Standards for Solar Refrigerators
A pivotal aspect of the framework is the development of standards and testing protocols for DRE applications. Among these, the MNRE is actively working on formulating testing procedures specifically tailored for solar refrigerators. To ensure the relevance of these standards in the Indian context, modifications to parameters are being considered.
Collaborative Labelling and Appliance Standards Programme (CLASP) Involvement
The Collaborative Labelling and Appliance Standards Programme (CLASP) has already defined a testing method for off and weak-grid refrigerators.
How to Contribute
In line with the collaborative spirit, the MNRE invites valuable comments and suggestions from concerned stakeholders regarding the proposed testing procedure for solar refrigerators. The aim is to align the testing framework with Indian conditions while drawing inspiration from the CLASP-defined method. The ministry has set a deadline of January 5, 2024, for stakeholders to provide their input.
Stakeholders, including industry experts, researchers, and the public, are encouraged to share their insights and recommendations via email to [email protected].
The MNRE believes that this public consultation process will enhance the effectiveness of the testing procedures for solar refrigerators, making them more suited to the diverse and dynamic conditions in India. The collective effort seeks to pave the way for the successful integration of decentralized renewable energy applications for sustainable livelihoods across the country.
