Brief Description about the facility:
The Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Division (ERED) of the Central Power Research Institute (CPRI), Bengaluru, operates one of India’s most advanced and largest Grid-Tied Solar Inverter Test Facilities, with a testing capacity of up to 500kVA. Accredited by both NABL and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), this facility is designed to ensure high-precision evaluation of solar inverter performance and compliance. Utilizing state-of-the-art infrastructure and sophisticated testing protocols, the lab enables assessment of critical performance parameters such as conversion efficiency, harmonic distortion, grid synchronization, power factor, and safety. The facility supports verification against a wide array of national and international standards (IEC, IEEE, BIS), ensuring that inverters meet the stringent requirements for safe integration into the power grid. This facility plays a vital role in quality assurance, helping to promote reliable and efficient renewable energy deployment in India.
Shri. G. Pandian
Joint Director & Head of the Division
Phone : +91 80 2207 2033
Mob: +91 97418 36174
Email: gpandian[at]cpri[dot]in / energy[at]cpri[dot]in
The 500kVA inverter testing facility at ERED, CPRI, is equipped to evaluate a broad range of power electronic systems, including:
- Grid-tied solar inverters
- Off-grid inverters
- Uninterrupted Power Supplies (UPS)
- Electric Vehicle Chargers
- DC-DC Converters
The facility provides mandatory BIS certification testing for inverter manufacturers and covers a wide scope of performance, safety, and grid compliance requirements. The following are the key applicable standards:
- IS/IEC 61683:1999 (Reaffirmed 2015) – Procedure for measuring the efficiency of photovoltaic power conditioners
- IS 17980:2022 / IEC 62891:2020 – Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) efficiency for grid-connected inverters
- IS 16221-1:2016 / IEC 62109-1:2010 – General safety requirements for power converters in photovoltaic systems
- IS 16221-2:2015 / IEC 62109-2:2011 – Specific safety requirements for photovoltaic inverters
- IS 16169:2014 / IEC 62116:2008 – Test procedure for islanding prevention in utility-interconnected inverters
- CEA Technical Standards for Connectivity of Distributed Generation Resources (Amendment Regulations, 2019) – Compliance for grid integration
These tests ensure that products conform to the necessary safety, performance, and grid connectivity norms, facilitating their acceptance for use in solar power systems across India.
Major tests Carried Out:
- Temperature de-rating characteristics test on 60 kW Grid Tie Solar Photovoltaic Inverter at 850 V DC.
- LVRT, HVRT, and Impulse Testing of 3-phase Vertical Multistage Centrifugal Pump set as per customer requirements (International- Germany VDE standard requirements) .
- Inrush current and Load step testing was carried out on the 7.6kW, 60Hz Solar-Battery Hybrid Inverter
- Performance and temperature rise testing of 100kW Harmonic Generator with open-loop inverter design, based on Si-C Technology.
- Testing on 1.25 MVA grid-connected solar inverter as per CEA guidelines (Technical standard for Grid connectivity, 2019) for Low Voltage Ride Through, Frequency Ride Through and High Voltage Ride Through.
- Testing of Israel made 100 kW grid-tied solar inverter for Safety of Power Converter for use in Photovoltaic Power Systems Part 2: Particular requirements for inverters as per IS 16221 (Part 2): 2015 / IEC 62109-2: 2011 standard for the purpose of BIS certifications.
- 7.5 kW Pump controller testing as per IS/IEC 61683 & IS 17018 standard for Indian Manufacturers.
- Tested 15kW Solar-Wind Hybrid based grid-connected inverter as per IS/IEC 61683 and IS 16169/IEC 62116 standards.
Range of the test ratings possible:
- Off-grid and on-grid solar inverters and power conditioning units and converters rated up to 500 kW.
- Maximum DC Voltage range is 1000V
- Maximum DC current capability is 1800A at 460 V with power level of 750kW.
- Maximum AC voltage range possible is from 0 – 520V (L-L)
Maximum rating carried out till date
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1.25MVA Grid Tied Solar Inverter
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Test name- Ride Through Performance testing of 1.25MVA Grid Tied Solar Central Inverter
Standard- Testing as per CEA Regulation for Grid Connectivity, 2019
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