Accredited testing laboratories use standardized test procedures to certify the quality, safety and reliability of solar energy components/systems.
By making available the certification of products, they play a central role in breaking down trade barriers, fostering the deployment of solar energy technologies and the creation of a self-consistent market.
These facilities can support policy makers by providing quality reference standards to manage effective incentive programs. They can sustain local industries by delivering an unbiased evaluation of quality and performance of their products. They also protect the interests of consumers, by ensuring the effectiveness of their investments.
Within the European project MED-DESIRE, ENEA is developing, on these issues, an intensive program of capacity building with partner countries (Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia).
Through MED-DESIRE capacity building activities, MPCs have increased awareness of the key role played by testing laboratories, deepened knowledge on how to meet the procedures, standards and competences of an accredited Lab and how to perform testing, through practical demonstrations.
Though, costs for developing and make available adequate infrastructures and testing facilities, as well as for training purposes could be too high with respect to MPCs available resources. Additional funds are needed to assure successful implementation of the accreditation program.
These considerations, emerged during the activities carried out within MED-DESIRE project, have been presented and shared with national, international and multilateral stakeholders present at the international conference "Towards the Euro-Mediterranean platform: Financing energy efficiency and renewable energy sources”.
The event, held on 10 April 2015 in Naples, was organized by the Mediterranean association of national agencies for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (MEDENER), under the patronage of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean.