From June 7 to 8, 2016, the National Center for Quality Supervision and Inspection of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Products (CPTC) (hereinafter referred to as the PV Center) under China Building Materials Test and Certification Group Co., Ltd. (CTC) successfully passed a two-day on-site assessment by the International Electrotechnical Commission IECEE CBTL for PV module testing laboratories.

IECEE is an international certification organization operating under the authorization of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Its full name is the “IEC System of Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components.” The CB Scheme is a global mutual recognition system for electrotechnical products established by IECEE. As of the time of this release, a total of 85 certification bodies (NCBs) from 54 countries and their 560 associated CBTL laboratories worldwide have participated in this mutual recognition system. After an enterprise obtains a CB Test Certificate issued by a National Certification Body (NCB) and the test report of its cooperating CB laboratory, when applying for certification in other countries, it can be exempted from repetitive testing and obtain recognition from certification bodies of other member countries, thereby obtaining market access to that country. Therefore, the CB Scheme reduces trade barriers caused by various certification rules and eliminates the time delays and cost increases brought to enterprises by repetitive testing and certification.

As the NCB of the CPTC PV Center, TÜV NORD Germany fully guided the preparation work for this application. Through this CB laboratory assessment, the PV Center significantly improved its personnel technical capabilities, scientific research literacy, inspection level, and quality management level. More than ten types of PV module testing equipment independently developed by the Center with intellectual property rights, including hail testers, dynamic/static load testers, lead-end force testers, and shot bag impact testers, were recognized by international experts in the same industry. After becoming a CB Testing Laboratory, the PV Center will provide enterprises with IECEE CB Scheme testing services for PV modules, enabling enterprises to enter the international market more conveniently and quickly. CPTC will work together with the entire PV industry to create a better future!