Overview
- Union Minister Jitendra Singh opened the National Environmental Standard Laboratory and the National Primary Standard Facility for Solar Cell Calibration at CSIR‑NPL in New Delhi on the lab’s 80th Foundation Day.
- The Environment Ministry has designated CSIR‑NPL as India’s verification and certification agency for emission and ambient air‑pollution monitoring equipment.
- NSEL will test and calibrate systems such as OCEMS and CAAQMS under Indian climatic conditions to support enforcement and programmes including the National Clean Air Programme.
- The solar facility uses a laser‑based Differential Spectral Responsivity system developed with Germany’s PTB, reporting 0.35% (k=2) uncertainty for reference cells and 0.6% for 156×156 mm industrial cells.
- CSIR‑NPL says the performance places India among five nations with a primary solar calibration standard and is expected to cut reliance on foreign labs, shorten turnaround times, save foreign exchange, and strengthen investor confidence.