What are the product certification standards for photovoltaic module manufacturers?

Product certification for photovoltaic module manufacturers is a key threshold for entering the global market, and the certification standards vary greatly among different countries and regions. The following are the core certification standards and related information of the global mainstream markets to help enterprises make targeted layouts:

I. International General Basic Certification

IEC Standard Certification (International Electrotechnical Commission)

Scope of application: Basic certification for the global market, especially suitable for regions such as Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

Core standard:

IEC 61215: Performance and design requirements for Crystalline Silicon photovoltaic Modules (applicable to ground-mounted modules).

IEC 61646: Performance and Design Requirements for thin-film photovoltaic modules.

IEC 61730-1/-2: Safety Certification for Photovoltaic Modules (electrical, mechanical, fire protection and other safety performance).

Certification bodies: TUV Rheinland, TUV SUD, UL, Intertek, etc.

Function: To prove that components meet international safety, performance and reliability requirements, and to serve as the basic threshold for entering overseas markets.

Ii. Compulsory Certification for the main target markets

The Chinese market

Certification Name: CQC Certification (China Quality Certification Center)

Standards: CQC 3301-2014 (equivalent to IEC 61215), CQC 3302-2014 (equivalent to IEC 61646).

Scope: Essential certifications for domestic market sales and bidding projects.

Supplementary certification

Golden Sun Certification: A specialized certification for photovoltaic products, which was once used in domestic subsidy projects (currently, after the subsidy was cancelled, the demand has decreased, but some projects still retain the requirement).

2. European market

Certification Name: CE Certification (including RoHS Directive)

Standard:

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) : EN 50438 (Electromagnetic compatibility Requirements for Photovoltaic systems).

Safety: EN 61215, EN 61730 (equivalent to IEC standard).

Environmental protection: RoHS Directive (restricting the use of hazardous substances such as lead and mercury, etc.).

Scope: Mandatory access certification for the 27 EU countries and the European Free Trade Area (such as Norway and Switzerland).

Additional certification for the high-end market

VDE certification: A high-end certification from Germany, with higher requirements than CE, enhancing the competitiveness of products.

MCS Certification: The access certification for renewable energy subsidy schemes (such as SEG) in the UK.

3. The US market

Certification Name: UL Certification

Core standard:

UL 1703: Photovoltaic Module Safety Certification (covering electrical safety, fire protection, mechanical load, etc.).

Additional requirements for the California market: CEC certification (California Energy Commission, energy efficiency and Performance Test).

Scope: Mandatory certification for the domestic markets of the United States and Canada, and it is also a prerequisite for obtaining the Federal tax Credit (ITC).

Special area requirements:

States such as Hawaii and Texas may require additional fire protection grade certifications (such as UL 94 V-0).

4. Indian market

Certification Name: BIS Certification (Bureau of Standards, India)

Standards: IS 14286 (equivalent to IEC 61215), IS 14287 (equivalent to IEC 61730).

Scope: Mandatory certification for imported photovoltaic modules in India, which must be tested in local laboratories in India.

Supplementary requirements: Some projects require MNRE certification (recognized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India).

5. Japanese market

Certification Name: JET Certification (Japan Electrical Safety and Environmental Technology Laboratory)

Standard: JIS C 8955 (equivalent to IEC 61215), focusing on weather resistance and long-term reliability tests.

Scope: Access certification for the Japanese market, which requires testing by designated institutions such as JET or TUV.

Special requirements:

The roof installation components must comply with the wind resistance and earthquake resistance standards stipulated in the "Building Standards Act of Japan".

6. Australian market

Certification Name: C-Tick Certification (Electromagnetic Compatibility) +AS/NZS Standard

Standard:

AS/NZS 5033: Safety and Performance of Photovoltaic Modules (equivalent to IEC 61215).

AS/NZS 4777.2: Electromagnetic Compatibility Standard for Inverters (Components need to be tested for compatibility with inverters).

Scope: Compulsory certification, which requires passing local laboratory tests and is also a condition for obtaining STC subsidies.

7. Other key markets

Brazil: INMETRO certification (local testing required, with a focus on tropical climate adaptability).

South Africa: SABS certification (South African Standards Agency, required to comply with SANS 61215).

Middle East (such as Saudi Arabia) : SASO certification (conforming to the IECEE CB system and required to pass the GCC Gulf standard).

South Korea: KC certification (Korea Institute of Standards and Technology, which must comply with KS C IEC 61215).

Iii. Special scenarios or Additional certifications

Fire protection grade certification

It is applicable to commercial/industrial roof projects, such as the Fire Rating Class A/B/C certification of UL 1703 in the United States and EN 13501-5 (Fire resistance test for Building materials) in Europe.

Weather resistance certification

For extreme environments such as high salt spray, sandstorms, and high temperatures, for example:

China CQC "Technical Specification for Weather Resistance Certification of Photovoltaic Modules" (Resistance to salt spray, ammonia, sand and dust, etc.)

International IEC TS 62716 (Salt spray corrosion test), IEC TS 62804 (Ammonia corrosion test).

Carbon footprint and Sustainability Certification

The EU's "Sustainability Certification Guidelines for Photovoltaic Modules" (requiring the disclosure of carbon footprint and supply chain compliance).

The American Cradle to Cradle certification emphasizes the circular economy.

Energy storage system integration certification

Such as IEEE 1547 (the grid-connected standard for distributed energy in the United States) and IEC 62619 (the battery safety standard, applicable to photovoltaic and energy storage integrated projects).

Iv. Certification Process and Precautions

Certification cycle: Usually 3 to 6 months (including testing, rectification, and auditing), and can be compressed to 2 months with expedited service.

Test focus:

Performance tests: maximum power temperature coefficient, low irradiation performance, attenuation rate, etc.

Safety tests: insulation resistance, withstand voltage test, hot spot durability, mechanical load (such as wind and snow pressure test).

Environmental testing: ultraviolet pretreatment, wet freezing cycle, temperature cycle, etc.

Cost control

Choose a laboratory with multi-standard testing capabilities (such as TUV Rheinland's "one-stop Testing") to avoid repetitive testing.

Get to know the latest regulations of the target market in advance (such as the updated CE certification transition policy of the European Union in 2023).

Compliance risk:

The UFLPA Act of the United States requires the provision of proof of no forced labor in the supply chain (additional review is required).

The EU's New Battery Law (coming into effect in 2024) may impose new requirements on component recycling.

V. Certification Strategy Suggestions

Market priority ranking: Based on the target market size and access difficulty, prioritize the layout of mainstream certifications such as CE, UL, and BIS.

Modular certification planning: For different technical routes (such as PERC, TOPCon, HJT), conduct platform-based testing in advance to reduce the cost of repetitive certification.

Local cooperation: Establish cooperation with agents and certification bodies in the target market to accelerate the certification process (for example, BIS certification in India requires local representatives).

Dynamic tracking of regulations: Pay attention to the policy updates of the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the energy departments of various countries to avoid market access obstacles caused by standard changes.

By systematically laying out the certification system, photovoltaic module manufacturers can effectively break through trade barriers and enhance their global market competitiveness. It is recommended that enterprises establish a dedicated compliance team or entrust third-party institutions (such as DNV, CSA) to provide certification consulting services to ensure the efficient and compliant certification process.