| Work Detail |
The Brazilian Association of Distributed Generation (ABGD) and the Brazilian Association of Solar Photovoltaic Energy (Absolar) advocate for a more complete local certification program that ratifies the quality, efficiency and safety of photovoltaic modules in the Brazilian market, but the adoption by part of the manufacturers is still scarce.
The Brazilian Distributed Generation Association (ABGD) and the Brazilian Photovoltaic Solar Energy Association (Absolar) advocate for a more complete local certification program to ratify the quality, efficiency and safety of photovoltaic modules in the Brazilian market, but manufacturers still They have not joined the program.
According to the vice president of the ABGD, Carlos Café, although the national certification that grants photovoltaic modules the seal of the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology of Brazil (INMETRO) does not reflect the international requirements of excellence and safety, “the seal of the INMETRO represents a first barrier for the entry of this equipment into the country. If it were not for a mandatory seal, the market would be much worse. So the Inmetro plays a very important strategic role in consumer protection with a quality declaration from manufacturers that certify that product,” he explains.
“With the new scenario, and the fake modules that have begun to enter the market, and the speed at which the solar sector is growing, we identified the possibility of supporting INMETRO to identify what other quality requirements could be added to those already demanded. by the agency. In other words, what other elements could increase the quality of the product and ensure that the equipment sold is genuine. Thus, the sectoral quality program was born with this premise and we turned to the Totum Institute to evaluate solar energy devices and equipment, certify their efficiency and safety, classify them and grant them a quality seal,” added Café.
Through its Sector Quality Program (PSQ), ABGD began the qualification process with inverters and photovoltaic modules and collaborated with Inmetro to include new requirements that were recently inserted by Ordinance 140/2022, such as protection against electric arcs. Below are some of the benefits of the ABGD PSQ:
– Valuation of the product in the market;
– Guarantee that the final consumer has purchased a quality product;
– Ensures that the equipment meets safety standards;
– Promotes regulation of the sector;
– Promotes greater reliability of photovoltaic energy equipment;
– Improves business performance;
– Strengthens the credibility of the brand;
– Provides customer satisfaction.
ABSOLAR Voluntary Certification Program
Absolar has created the Absolar Quality Voluntary Certification Program, which covers the processes of the evaluated company, and is relevant to the company and not to the equipment or products. The certification of the organization guarantees a series of advantages for the certified company, such as the recognition of the company as a commercial differentiator, the trust of customers, the improvement of the quality of products and services, the demonstration of solidity and reliability, in addition to add credibility to the Absolar brand.
According to Absolars certification program coordinator, Marisa Plaza, “the program does not provide for product certification and, for this reason, no Designated Certification Body (DCB) can certify within the framework of the current certification program. However, nothing prevents products from being included in the program in the future, but at the moment there is no prospect of this happening.”
Absolars certification requirements are based on three main pillars: formality, processes and qualification. There are also three levels for each category: A – the most basic, AA – intermediate and AAA – the most complete. At each level, the requirements increase in quantity and complexity, in the following categories:
– Companies that import/distribute photovoltaic products (IMP/DIS)
– Photovoltaic system design companies (PROJ)
– Photovoltaic system installation companies (INST)
– Photovoltaic system integration companies (INTG)
– Photovoltaic system exploitation companies (OPE)
– Training companies in photovoltaic systems (TREI)
– Companies manufacturing products for photovoltaic systems (FAB)
– Shared solar energy generation management companies (GCE)
Unlike international certifications, where there is no public list, Absolars certification program page lists 28 recognized companies, but only three manufacturers: Eikon (Kraper), Convert (Valmont) and Clamper. Until now, there are no companies specializing in module manufacturing, including domestic manufacturers. Check out the advantages for a certified company:
– Recognition of the company with a commercial differential
– Customer trust
– Improvement of the quality of products and services
– Demonstration of solidity and reliability
– Absolute credibility mark
The certification cycle is 36 months and the company can join the Certification Program at any of the 3 existing levels. Starting at level AA, audits are carried out on site at the companys headquarters and in the services that are being carried out. The controls are carried out by OCDs, traditional certification bodies, which meet specific criteria established by Absolar.
When asked why manufacturers have not yet opted for local certification, the Absolar coordinator states that “we believe that the market is still waiting for a greater critical mass, in addition to the fact that 2023 is a difficult year for the sector,” she concludes. . |
