Vital Inspections Pivotal to India's Aspirations in Renewable Energy Sector
India is aggressively pursuing its goal of increasing its renewable energy capacity, but experts have raised concerns about the lack of adequate inspections at critical stages of renewable energy projects. The emphasis on independent third-party inspections is part of a broader effort to improve the quality and reliability of renewable energy projects in India.
Independent inspections are essential across various scales of renewable energy projects, including utility-scale developments, rooftop, and rural systems. These inspections provide unbiased verification, enforce compliance with industry standards, and deliver rigorous, data-driven insights that enhance safety and operational reliability.
Arif Aga, Director at SgurrEnergy, which holds the accreditation of 17020 for inspection of photovoltaic (PV) modules, stated that even minor flaws during equipment manufacturing or installation can escalate into serious operational and financial issues. Early-stage quality checks through independent inspections can prevent delays, reduce financial losses, and boost the overall credibility of India's renewable energy sector.
The need for independent inspections is a consensus among experts, as maintaining quality is crucial as India scales its renewable capacity. Insufficient inspections can lead to quality lapses in project execution, which can potentially dampen investor confidence in India's renewable energy sector.
India aims to achieve 500 GW of power from solar, wind, and battery storage by 2030. To meet this ambitious target, it is essential to ensure that renewable energy projects are executed with the highest standards of quality and safety. Independent third-party inspections play a vital role in achieving this goal.
Independent third-party inspectors in India follow stringent protocols aligned with international standards such as ISO, using advanced technologies—like digital tools, drones, and non-destructive testing (NDT)—to conduct thorough, repeatable, and accurate inspections. This process helps identify non-conformances early and ensures technical and safety standards are met consistently, reducing risks across renewable projects.
In the renewable energy sector specifically, safety and quality are increasingly managed through Business Intelligence (BI) systems that integrate real-time site safety data, permit compliance, and contractor performance metrics. Such systems, supported by third-party verified data, enable proactive risk identification and empower leadership to benchmark and improve safety performance across assets, thereby reducing accidents and ensuring smoother project execution.
Independent third-party verification lends credibility and trust to sustainability claims and performance metrics by providing transparent, unbiased assessments. This is critical in India where renewable energy projects must satisfy regulatory bodies, investors, and public expectations for environmental and safety compliance. Third-party assurance builds confidence, which can facilitate project approvals, secure funding, and enhance stakeholder relations.
In conclusion, independent third-party inspections serve as a crucial control mechanism that reduces project risks and drives quality improvement in India’s renewable energy transition by combining technical rigor, real-time data analytics, and unbiased validation of standards compliance. As India races to increase its renewable energy capacity, the adoption of independent third-party inspections is a key solution to detect issues early, ensure alignment with global standards, and significantly reduce project risk.
- Independent inspections are crucial for ensuring quality and reliability across various scales of renewable energy projects in India, as even minor flaws during equipment manufacturing or installation can lead to serious operational and financial issues.
- To achieve India's ambitious goal of producing 500 GW of power from renewable energy sources by 2030, it is essential to ensure that renewable energy projects are executed with the highest standards of quality and safety.
- Independent third-party inspections play a vital role in achieving this goal, as they help identify non-conformances early, ensure technical and safety standards are met consistently, and reduce risks across renewable projects.
- In the renewable energy sector, independent third-party verification lends credibility and trust to sustainability claims and performance metrics by providing transparent, unbiased assessments, which is critical in India where renewable energy projects must satisfy regulatory bodies, investors, and public expectations for environmental and safety compliance.
