MNRE Mandates Domestic Data Storage For Solar Inverters Under PM Surya Ghar Scheme

The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has directed that all data generated by solar inverters installed under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana must be stored within India. The directive, issued by the ministry’s Rooftop Solar Division on August 17, 2026, is aimed at strengthening energy data security and protecting critical digital infrastructure.

The ministry said monitoring solar system performance is essential for the success of the rooftop solar programme. Generation data helps consumers track system performance, enables distribution companies to assess electricity generation in their areas, and allows the government to monitor the overall progress of the scheme.

However, the large-scale deployment of connected rooftop solar systems also creates cybersecurity risks. According to the ministry, sending inverter data to servers located outside India could expose national energy information to foreign entities. It could also create vulnerabilities that may allow unauthorized access or remote manipulation of solar equipment.

To address these concerns, MNRE has reiterated the need for manufacturers to comply with existing operational and monitoring requirements. These include Machine-to-Machine (M2M) SIM communication, standardized remote monitoring systems, and automated transmission of data to the National Portal.

Under the latest directive, inverter manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers must ensure that monitoring software, control servers, and real-time solar generation data are hosted in secure and encrypted facilities located entirely within India. The ministry has also directed manufacturers to include data logger warranties within the main inverter warranty, providing consumers with greater protection and long-term reliability.

Manufacturers have been given 30 days from the date of the order to comply. They must submit a written confirmation and undertaking to REC Limited, with a copy to MNRE. The declaration must confirm compliance with the cybersecurity requirements, provide the physical locations of domestic data centres, and identify an authorized point of contact.

The ministry has warned that manufacturers failing to submit the required confirmation within the deadline will not be permitted to install their systems under the PM Surya Ghar scheme.

Until state-level server systems become fully operational, manufacturers must also continue sending daily cumulative generation data to the National Portal. The data must be linked to unique inverter serial numbers and transmitted through standardized application programming interfaces.

The new requirements are expected to strengthen cybersecurity across India’s rapidly expanding rooftop solar sector. By keeping critical inverter and generation data within national borders, the government aims to improve data sovereignty, reduce exposure to foreign cyber risks, and create a more secure and self-reliant renewable energy ecosystem.