TUV Rhineland has opened a new solar PV module testing facility in Asia, reports Clean Technica.
With the help of this move, company can take advantage of the booming solar power industry in India.
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TUV Rhineland is a testing and certification company, which will release the results of the first batch of testing on solar PV modules, in a month or two.
The results will be of great use for the project developers who want to conduct several solar power project auctions planned by the government. Grading of modules will help them during bids at the auctions.
Solar power project auctions in India are recognized by high competition which has led to huge price drop, raising concerns over financial viability of the projects among Indian banks.
For the auctions, under the National Solar Mission, central government plans to continue with its policy of mandatory use of solar PV modules manufactured in India for a minimum portion of the capacity.
At present, Indian manufacturers have nearly 2 GW of cumulative production capacity.
However, State governments do not impose restrictions on use of imported modules.
In Indian conditions, clarity on the effectiveness, reliability, and performance of imported modules would be invaluable to project developers. Imported solar PV modules have a major role in promoting India’s solar power revolution.
Currently, TUV Rhineland is operating four such testing centres in Germany, the US, Italy and Saudi Arabia. It aims to offer research and development input for module manufacturers in order to help them optimize module performance across various climatic conditions.
Vishal Kawadkar
[email protected]