The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Division (ERED) at CPRI, Bengaluru, stands at the forefront of India’s innovation ecosystem in the power sector. Established in 1979, ERED has continually evolved to become a centre of excellence for testing, certification, research, development, and consultancy in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy.

With a rich legacy of technical leadership, ERED is home to some of the country’s most advanced laboratories, purpose-built to address the growing demands of sustainable energy systems. These facilities enable end-to-end performance evaluation and compliance testing of modern power electronics and renewable energy technologies, ranging from grid-tied inverters, EV chargers, and UPS systems to LED lighting and photobiological safety. All laboratories operate under ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, and the division itself is certified to ISO 9001:2015, reflecting a deep commitment to quality and technical integrity.

ERED also leads the national effort in energy auditing, having conducted comprehensive assessments in thermal and hydro power stations, industrial processes, commercial buildings, and other critical infrastructure. This holistic approach enables the division to drive energy conservation, operational efficiency, and sustainable development across the energy value chain.

By bridging the gap between emerging technologies and national standards, ERED not only supports manufacturers and stakeholders with state-of-the-art testing solutions, but also contributes significantly to policy implementation and capacity building in the renewable energy sector.

Test facilities:

1) Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) Module Test Facility - SPV modules up to 500Wp capacity are tested for their ‘Design qualification and type approval’ and ‘safety qualification’.

2) Grid-Tied Inverter Test Facility - CPRI has the largest grid-tied inverter testing facility for India having capacity up to 500kVA. 

3) LED Lighting Test Facility - CPRI has exclusive test facilities for LED lighting to assure the quality as well as safety parameters of the product.

4) Solar Photovoltaic Pump Test Laboratory - The facility can test all types of surface/submersible, AC/DC, shallow/deep well type solar pumps up to 25 hp.

5) Motor Test Laboratory - Testing 3-phase induction motors up to 55 kW. 

6) Solar Radiation Test Facility - The solar radiation test facility can be utilized for exposure to products up to an irradiance level of 1000W/m2 and maximum temperature level of 55 °C.

7) Photobiological Laboratory - India’s first and unique laboratory for Photobiological testing of lamps and luminaires (optical sources).

8) EV Charger Test Station - Testing and research activities of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) up to a capacity of 22 kW(AC) & 50 kW(DC).

9) UPS Test Facility – For testing UPS of capacity 50 kW, 3 phase (and 10 kW 1 phase) with IS 16242 (Part 1 and Part 3) equivalent of IEC 62040 (Part 1 and Part 3)

Research Capabilities and Technical Expertise – CPRI, ERED Division

The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Division (ERED) at CPRI Bengaluru offers specialized R&D and testing in the following focus areas:

• Renewable Energy: Solar PV systems, hybrid energy solutions
• Power Electronics: Inverters, converters, power quality analysis
• Electric Vehicles: EV chargers, charging infrastructure, power electronics
• Energy Efficiency: Motors, LED lighting, efficient system design
• Grid Integration: Renewable grid dynamics and distributed energy resources
• Sustainable Energy: Net Zero buildings, green energy initiatives
• EMI/EMC Testing: Solar inverters, PV modules, EVSE, LEDs
• Future Technologies: Hydrogen energy systems, e-mobility innovations
• Thermal Power Optimization: Efficiency improvement in coal-based plants

Consultancy Services:

Category:     Generation / Utilization / Other Services

ERED has comprehensive infrastructure, computational facilities and a team of qualified Engineers for providing energy services like conducting Energy audits.  CPRI has been rendering the Energy audit and Energy conservation services for a variety of customers since 1979. Specific areas of activities are:

• Energy audit service for thermal power station, hydro power station, energy intensive industries, captive power plants, airports, port trusts and commercial establishments.
• Consultancy services on Auxiliary Power Consumption audit for thermal power plants.
• Consultancy services on Availability factor for thermal power plants.
• Turbine heat rate studies.
• Boiler performance assessment, cooling tower performance analysis.
• Performance analysis of turbo-generator unit for hydro power station.
• Fuel audit study in thermal power stations
• Ex-bus capacity evaluation
• Third party inspection and field study of renewable energy systems

CPRI has BEE accredited and certified Energy Auditors.  Our Energy Audit activity is accredited as per ISO 9001:2015.

CPRI has been carrying out Energy Audit & Energy Conservation studies since 1979 and has completed Energy Audit in more than 120 coal fired thermal power stations, 40 hydro power stations, 50 Energy-intensive Industries, 75 Major establishments/buildings etc.

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