The Chinese Edition of IEC Standards Released
SHENZHEN, CHINA – Today, the Chinese-language version of the International Electronics Commission (IEC) quality standards for stand-alone renewable energy products with power ratings less than or equal to 350 Watts is released. IEC/TS 62257-9-8:2020 is the second IEC document for renewable energy products to be released in Chinese language (with IEC/TS 62257-9-5:2018 being the first in October 2019).
“The publication of Chinese editions of the international standards will play a positive role in further promoting the use of IEC off-grid quality standards in China and align manufacturers with the regulatory requirements in a growing number of countries in Sub Saharan Africa and Asia,” said Itotia Njagi, head of IFC’s Lighting Global program. “These standards will help Chinese manufacturers produce products that meet international standards and by extension accelerate the growth of off-grid markets that are yearning for energy solutions that meet their unique needs,” he said.
In 2015, the United Nations (UN) established the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in which SDG7 calls for universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030. The World Bank estimates that nearly 840 million people around the world still lack access to electricity, and 1 billion additional people are living without reliable electricity. Most of the populations who lack electricity live in rural regions of Asia and Africa, with others residing in areas where the grid may not reach, and off-grid solutions offer a more practical energy alternative.
Lighting Global has played a key role in contributing towards the growth of the industry into a $1.75 billion annual market, providing lighting and other energy services to more than 420 million users. The development of the Lighting Global Quality Assurance Framework and Quality Standards to both protect and inspire confidence in rural consumers in new technology and specific products has been a critical foundational element in this growth. In June 2020, the Lighting Global Quality Standards were adopted as IEC Technical Specification—IEC TS 62257-9-8, specifying the basic requirements for off-grid renewable energy product quality, safety, endurance, and truth in advertising. The evaluation of products to these requirements is based on testing methods defined in IEC TS 62257-9-5. Together, the two documents provide the foundation for the world’s leading framework for quality assurance and consumer protection for the off-grid renewable energy products market.
Leveraging on their competitive strengths in innovation and lower cost base, manufacturers in China can play a significant role in accelerating the growth of off-grid renewable energy products and in achieving SD7 goals of providing energy access. To that end, the World Bank Group’s Lighting Global initiative, Shenzhen Technology University, the Shenzhen Academy of Metrology & Quality Inspection (SMQ), and VeraSol have established a collaboration aimed at supporting manufacturers in China to meet IEC standards. VeraSol was launched in February 2020, and it represents a continuation and evolution of the Lighting Global Quality Assurance Program. The translation of the two editions of the IEC standards into Chinese versions marks a first step towards the realization of the objective of the collaboration, which will in the future also include training and capacity building for manufacturers.
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About Lighting Global
Lighting Global is the World Bank Group’s initiative to rapidly increase access to off-grid solar energy for the 840 million people living without electricity worldwide. Lighting Global – managed by IFC and the World Bank – works with manufacturers, distributors, governments, and other development partners to build and grow the modern off-grid solar energy market. Our programs are funded with support from ESMAP, The Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF), The Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Italian Ministry for the Environment, Land, and Sea (IMELS), and the IKEA Foundation. For more information, please visit www.lightingglobal.org.
About Shenzhen Technology University
With approval of the Ministry of Education, Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU) was established by Guangdong provincial and Shenzhen municipal governments on 30, November, 2018, aiming to build a leading applied science university with world-class, high-level and exemplary features. Drawing on valuable experiences from the world-class applied science universities such as German and Swiss peers, we at SZTU embrace the educational philosophy of “Artisan Spirit and Humanity” focusing on cultivating high-quality talents such as excellent engineers and designers with international perspectives, expertise and innovative power through four-year university degree or above education.For more information, please visit: www.sztu.edu.cn.
About Shenzhen Academy of Metrology & Quality Inspection
Shenzhen Academy of Metrology & Quality Inspection (SMQ) was founded in 1985 by Shenzhen municipal government authorized by the State Administration for Market Regulation. Serving as an legal metrological verification and product quality inspection institute, we at SMQ provides technical services covering instruments and devices verification and calibration, products testing, products certification, supply-chain quality assurance testing, technical consultation and training for various enterprises and companies. For more information, please visit: www.smq.com.cn.
About VeraSol
VeraSol supports high-performing, durable off-grid products that expand access to modern energy services. An evolution of Lighting Global Quality Assurance, VeraSol maintains the leading independent quality assurance program for distributed solar solutions, appliances and equipment. VeraSol is managed by CLASP in collaboration with the Schatz Energy Research Center at Humboldt State University. Foundational support is provided by the World Bank Group’s Lighting Global program, UKaid, IKEA Foundation, and others. For more, please visit: www.verasol.org.
国际电工委员会（IEC）国际标准中文版发布
中国，深圳 – 今天，国际电工委员会（IEC）IEC/TS 62257-9-8:2020《可再生能源和混合系统第9-8部分：成套系统——额定功率≤350W的离网可再生能源产品要求》的中文版（以下简称 “IEC/TS 62257-9-8 国际标准”）正式发布。该标准是第二个国际电工委员会（IEC）可再生能源国际标准中文版（2019年10月发布的IEC/TS 62257 – 9 – 5:2018 为首个国际标准中文版）。
“国际标准中文版的发布，将进一步发挥积极作用，促进国际电工委员会（IEC）离网质量标准在中国的使用，并使制造商符合越来越多撒哈拉以南非洲和亚洲国家的监管要求，” 国际金融公司（IFC）点亮全球项目负责人 Itotia Njagi 表示。“这些标准将帮助中国制造商生产符合国际标准的产品，进一步满足该些急需能源需求地区的独特需求，从而加速离网太阳能市场增长。”他补充道。
联合国（UN）于2015年制定了可持续发展目标（SDGs），其中可持续发展目标七 (SDG7) 呼吁：到2030年普及可负担、可靠和可持续的现代能源。世界银行估计，全球仍有8.4亿人口尚未接入电力，另有超过10亿人口无法获取可靠的电力供应。大部分无电缺电人口生活在亚洲和非洲的农村地区，其他则生活在电网无法覆盖的地区，而离网解决方案提供了一种更实用的能源替代方案。
点亮全球在推动离网行业发展成为如今年销售额达17.5亿美元的能源市场上发挥了关键作用，该市场为超过4.2亿用户提供照明和其他能源服务。点亮全球质量保证框架和质量标准的建立保护并激发了农村消费者对新技术和特定产品的信心，是这一增长的一个基础关键因素。2020年6月，点亮全球质量标准被正式采纳成为国际电工委员会（IEC）技术规范——IEC TS 62257-9-8，明确了离网可再生能源产品的质量、安全性、耐久性和广告真实性方面的基本要求。对离网产品相关要求的评估将基于 IEC TS 62257-9-5中定义的测试方法进行。这两个标准共同为离网可再生能源产品市场的质量保证和消费者保护的世界级主导框架奠定了基础。
利用其在创新和低成本基础上的竞争优势，中国制造商能够在加速离网可再生能源产品的增长、实现可持续发展目标七 (SDG7) 中提供能源接入目标等方面发挥重要作用。为此，世界银行集团的点亮全球项目、深圳技术大学、深圳计量与质量检验研究院 (SMQ) 和 VeraSol 建立了合作关系，以支持中国制造商达到国际电工委员会（IEC）标准。2020年2月推出的 VeraSol，代表着点亮全球质量保证项目的延续和发展。国际电工委员会（IEC）两个国际标准中文版的发布，标志着该项合作向实现目标迈出的第一步，今后还将包括制造商的培训和能力建设。
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关于点亮全球
点亮全球项目由世界银行集团倡议，旨在快速增加全球8.4亿无电人口获得离网太阳能，由国际金融公司（IFC）和世界银行（World Bank）共同管理，与制造商、分销商、政府和其他发展伙伴合作一道，建立和发展现代离网太阳能市场。我们的项目得到了 ESMAP（世界银行能源部分管理援助计划）、公私基础设施咨询机构（PPIAF）、荷兰外交部、意大利环境与土地及海洋部（IMELS） 以及宜家基金会的支持。欲了解更多信息，请访问 www.lightingglobal.org.
关于深圳技术大学
深圳技术大学是广东省和深圳市高标准建设的国际化、高水平、示范性一流应用技术大学。2018年11月30日，经教育部批准正式设立。学校充分借鉴和引进德国、瑞士等发达国家一流技术大学先进的办学经验，倡导“工匠精神、人文情怀”，致力于培养本科及以上层次具有国际视野、工匠精神和创新创业能力的高水平工程师、设计师等高素质应用型人才。欲了解更多信息，请访问 www.sztu.edu.cn.
关于深圳市计量质量检测研究院（SMQ）
深圳市计量质量检测研究院（SMQ）（国家质量监督检验检疫总局深圳计量检定站）成立于1985年，是深圳市人民政府设立并经国家市场监督管理总局授权的法定计量检定和产品质量检验机构，为广大企业提供仪器设备检定校准、产品测试、产品认证、供应链品质保证检测和技术咨询与培训等技术服务。欲了解更多信息，请访问 www.smq.com.cn.
关于VeraSol
VeraSol 支持高性能的、高耐用性的离网产品，以扩大现代能源服务。 作为点亮全球质量保证项目的演进，VeraSol 持续运营针对分布式太阳能解决方案、电器和设备的领先独立的质量保证项目。VeraSol 由 CLASP 与洪堡州立大学 Schatz 能源研究中心合作管理。VeraSol 的基础支持由世界银行集团点亮全球项目、英国援助署、宜家基金会等。欲了解更多信息，请访问: www.verasol.org.