Lighting Global Quality Standards Published in Chinese

This week, Lighting Global signed a new agreement with the Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU) and the Shenzhen Academy of Metrology and Quality Inspection (SMQ) to enhance the quality of solar lighting and energy products manufactured in China. This collaboration comes as part of a larger strategy to accelerate the market for solar off-grid products in Africa and Asia. Most of these  products are manufactured in China, where the local expertise has been essential to enable innovation and cost that drives the development of this $1 billion market. This new collaboration started with the publication and translation of the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) technical specification for pico-solar products and plug-and-play solar home system kits released in Shanghai this week.
The Mandarin edition of the testing technical specification (IEC/TS 62257-9-5:2018) was published by the Standardization Administration of China (SAC), the national standards body of China. These test methods have become the global quality standard for clean off-grid lighting products founded in Lighting Global’s Quality Assurance Program. This is the first time any IEC standard or IEC technical specification has been translated into Chinese. Lighting Global worked closely with both SMQ and SZTU to translate, review, and promote these testing methods.
In the coming months, the partnership will continue the work to:

  • Support Chinese manufacturers in producing solar products that meet Lighting Global Quality Standards based on testing to the IEC test methods;
  • Engage manufacturers in China who can collectively drive volume sales and scale up adoption of quality solar products in Africa and Asia; and
  • Develop technical training programs, testing centers and curricula to support companies, manufacturers, and engineering students in understanding and meeting quality standards in Shenzhen and throughout Southeast China.

Russell Sturm, lead for energy access of the International Finance Corporation signed the agreement along with Ruan Shuangchen, President of SZTU during the signing ceremony in Shanghai. Sturm expressed deep appreciation for the supportive role that SZTU and SMQ have played, “We will deepen our engagement with the Chinese manufacturing industry to scale up the production of quality solar products to meet the long unmet needs for energy access in Africa and Asia,” he said.
Lighting Global works with manufacturers, distributors, governments, and other development partners to build and grow the modern off-grid solar energy market. We maintain Quality Standards that set a baseline level of quality, durability, and truth in advertising to protect consumers. Private companies in the Asian region are a critical component in developing the global market for off-grid lighting products in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, where the need is greatest. Off-grid solar sales are expected to grow by 25% annually, reaching a projected 70 million units sold by 2022. Lighting Global, SZTU, and SMQ will develop outreach and training materials targeting manufacturers in China in the coming months.
 
国际电工委员会、世界银行集团和中国国家标准化管理委员会联合发布点亮全球项目质量标准中文版
为了提高中国生产的太阳能照明和能源产品的质量，世界银行集团点亮全球项目与深圳技术大学（SZTU）和深圳市计量质量检验研究院（SMQ）在本周签署了一项新合作协议展开合作 。该合作同时作为点亮全球项目更大战略的一部分，将加快离网太阳能市场在非洲和亚洲地区的发展。目前，绝大部分的离网太阳能应用产品为中国制造，中国的专长对于推动这个十亿美元市场发展的创新和成本管理至关重要。随着国际电工委员会（IEC）本周在上海宣布、采用并发布微型照明灯具产品与即插即用太阳能家用系统的测试技术规范的中文版，新协议合作正式启动。
IEC/TS 62257-9-5:2018测试技术规范的中文版，由中国国家标准化工作主管机构 ——中国国家标准化管理委员会（SAC）发布。世界银行集团点亮全球项目最先创建、打造了该测试方法，并使之成为成为清洁离网照明产品的全球质量标准，这是国际电工委员会（IEC）历史上发布的首个标准或技术规范中文版。点亮全球与深圳市计量质量检验研究院、深圳技术大学紧密合作，共同完成了测试方法的翻译，校准、评审组织和推广等。
国际金融公司能源接入官罗素•斯德姆、深圳技术大学校长阮双琛、深圳市计量质量检验研究院院长李翔，共同签署了合作协议。在于上海举行的签字仪式上，罗素•斯德姆对于两个合作单位所发挥的支持作用表达了深深地感谢，同时表示“我们将进一步深化与中国制造业的合作，以期扩大高质量太阳能产品的更大规模化生产，以满足非洲与亚洲市场长期未被满足的能源获取需求。”
在接下来的几个月，合作三方将致力于：

  • 基于国际电工委员会测试方法进行测试，支持中国制造商生产符合点亮全球质量标准的产品；
  • 与中国制造商一道，共同推动非洲和亚洲太阳能产品的批量销售和高质量产品的规模化推广应用；
  • 开发技术培训项目，建立测试中心与课程体系，支持公司、制造商和工程专业学生理解并其产品达到质量标准要求，特别在深圳及东南沿海地区。

点亮全球项目与制造商，分销商，政府和其他开发伙伴一道，共同打造和发展现代离网太阳能市场。我们坚持质量标准，要求在广告中设定质量、耐久性和真实性的底线水平，以保护消费者。亚洲及撒哈拉以南非洲地区对于离网太阳能照明产品需求巨大，亚洲区域的私营企业是发展该市场的重要组成部分。据预测数据显示，离网太阳能市场以每年25％的速度增长，到2022年将达到7,000万套的销售量。在未来几个月里，点亮全球项目、深圳技术大学和深圳市计量质量检验研究院，将联合制定并推出针对中国制造商的推广和培训材料。