China’s SMQ Lab Joins Lighting Global Quality Testing Network

China’s Shenzhen Academy of Metrology and Quality Inspection (SMQ) has joined the Lighting Global quality assurance laboratory network which upholds quality in the off-grid lighting market.
SMQ becomes the 6^th laboratory supporting the market development work of the IFC-World Bank energy access program, Lighting Global.
Lighting Global’s quality assurance work is coordinated from the Schatz Energy Research Center, Humboldt University in Arcata, California. This work is supported by a global network of laboratories including the Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy in Freiburg, Germany, the Lighting Research Center in Troy, New York, Kenya’s University of Nairobi’s Lighting Laboratory, and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, India.
These labs are located to be in close proximity of manufacturers and consumers in key off-grid lighting markets across Africa and Asia.
SMQ is accredited by the China National Accreditation Service (CNAS) to test off-grid lighting products using methods specified in IEC Technical Specification 62257‐9‐5. SMQ maintains over 60,000 square meters of laboratory space and has extensive experience testing lighting products, photovoltaic systems, and batteries.
This addition marks an important milestone for Lighting Global, as SMQ is the first private sector commercial laboratory as well as the first laboratory in South China to be involved in quality assurance testing for the program.
Many off-grid lighting products are manufactured in South China therefore SMQ’s quality testing services and the simplified logistics associated with testing products at a location closer to where they are manufactured will be of great value to manufacturers.
“Over the past six years, the Lighting Global network of test labs has tested over 130 products on a commercial basis. Many of these products have had to be shipped from manufacturing centers in China to test labs in Europe or the U.S.,” says Dr. Arne Jacobson, lead of the Lighting Global Quality Assurance team. “Going forward, manufacturers will have the option to obtain these same high quality testing services at a more convenient location.”
Lighting Global managesoff-grid lighting test methods and quality standards, and coordinates product testing through its test laboratory network.
The program also delivers information about product quality to actors along the product supply chains through the Lighting Global website, and other related activities. Companies that are interested in testing pico-solar or related off-grid products with the Lighting Global Quality Assurance program should contact the Lighting Global team to schedule sampling and testing.
Lighting Global also works with pre-approved independent test laboratories outside of the Lighting Global network.