International PV Quality Assurance Task Force Timeline

Our organization's history and future path summarized in a timeline.

July 2011

International PV Module Quality Assurance Forum in San Francisco brought together ~150 people, who formed the International PV Module QA Task Force (PVQAT).

January 2012

First published (national) Standard. "JIS Q8901-2012 Requirements for reliability assurance system (Design, production, and warranty)."

2013

PVQAT submitted 4 "New Work Item Proposal" to IEC TC82.

  • IEC 62925
  • IEC 62938
  • IEC TS 62918
  • IEC TS 62941

2014

IECRE was formed within IEC.

PVQAT supported the discussion on technology specific requirements for testing (IEC 612151-1-2, -1-3, -1-4), and on the power conversion equipment (IEC 62093).

2015

PID (Potential-induced degradation) test methods in crystalline silicon PV modules (IEC TS 62804-1) was published through the efforts by PVQAT TG3.

PVQAT TG 2 submitted the proposal on Extended Thermal Cycling Test.

2016

IEC 61215 series (core standards on design qualification and type approval of PV modules) and IEC 617301-1 and -2 (core standards on safety qualification) were published.

"Guideline for increased confidence in PV module design qualification and type approval (IEC TS 62941) was issued.

2017

Two standards on bypass-diode in PV modules were published (IEC 62979, IEC TS 62916).

Three standards involved in the polymer material testing (IEC 62788 series) were published.

PVQAT TG 13 (Cell) submitted the proposal on EL imaging of PV cells.

2018

Technical specification on EL imaging of PV modules, which described the methods to capture/process/evaluate the images, was published.

PVQAT TG 5/12 submitted several NWIPs on material durability test within 3 years.

2019

At least 8 standards (including 4 technical specifications) are scheduled to publish in 2019.

PVQAT directly / indirectly contributed to the development of 54 International Standards (including of technical specifications), from 2011.

Future

PVQAT will facilitate the development of International Standards through the global collaboration among worldwide PV experts.