Quality Assurance in World Quality Assurance in World Bank-Funded Photovoltaic Bank-Funded Photovoltaic ProjectsProjects

Anil CabraalLead Energy Specialist

Energy and Water DepartmentThe World Bank

Special EventSpecial EventPhotovoltaic for Development – Ensure Photovoltaic for Development – Ensure Highest Quality for Sustainability and Scale Highest Quality for Sustainability and Scale UpUp

21st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy 21st European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and ExhibitionConference and ExhibitionMesse Dresden, GermanyMesse Dresden, GermanySeptember 7, 2006September 7, 2006

OutlineOutline

World Bank PV Project Portfolio

Approaches to Quality Assurance

Lessons Learned

WBG Photovoltaic ProjectsWBG Photovoltaic Projects

Includes projects completed, under

implementation and preparation

Argentina 30,000Argentina 30,000Bolivia 60,000Bolivia 60,000Ecuador 2,200Ecuador 2,200HondurasHondurasDominican Rep.Dominican Rep.Mexico 1,000Mexico 1,000Mexico 36,000Mexico 36,000Nicaragua 6,000Nicaragua 6,000

Bangladesh 198,000Bangladesh 198,000Cambodia 10,000Cambodia 10,000China 400,000China 400,000India 45,000++India 45,000++Indonesia 8,500Indonesia 8,500Laos 4,000Laos 4,000Mongolia 50,000Mongolia 50,000Pacific Islands 21,000Pacific Islands 21,000Philippines 135,000Philippines 135,000PNG 2,500PNG 2,500Sri Lanka 105,000Sri Lanka 105,000VietnamVietnam

Serving >1,43 million HH + Facilities ~7.5 million persons ~64 MWp 31 Countries Total Value: ~$776 million

Burkina Faso 8,000Burkina Faso 8,000Cape Verde 4,500Cape Verde 4,500Ethiopia 6,300Ethiopia 6,300KenyaKenyaMadagascar 15,000Madagascar 15,000Mali 10,000Mali 10,000MoroccoMoroccoMozambique 9,800Mozambique 9,800Senegal 10,000Senegal 10,000Swaziland 2,000Swaziland 2,000Uganda 90,000Uganda 90,000Tanzania 140,000Tanzania 140,000

Type of ApplicationsType of Applications

Solar home systems – Dominant application

PV systems for rural enterprises PV systems for schools and

clinics PV water pumping Grid connected PV

EvolutionEvolution

Many PV projects in 1980s failed, due to a variety of factors, including technical: Component, design, qualified technical support, lack of access to spares, inadequate consumer knowledge, misinformation

World Bank PV investments begin ~1995 Only few technical specifications were available then Projects had to issue project-specific procurement

specifications for components, systems, installation. Other agencies also began addressing this

constraint: By 2001, about 90 different standards! In 1997 Peter Varadi forms PVGAP to bring order to

chaos!

Ensuring QualityEnsuring Quality

Setting technical product and service standards

Building capacity to meet standards and improve service

R&D for quality improvementTesting center capability strengtheningMonitoring and enforcement

Adopting StandardsAdopting Standards

To extend possible, use internationally recognized standards – e.g., IEC, PVGAP

Need to address concerns of eligibility of locally made components Must require comparable performance to IEC or PVGAP or

equivalent

Give opportunity to improve performance/quality

Give opportunity for testing and certification at qualified laboratory

Results: No difficulty finding qualified products. But, very limited availability of products with PVGAP mark or seal.

Issue: Certification alone is inadequate quality must be maintained!

Setting Procurement Setting Procurement Specs:Specs:Guidance to Bank StaffGuidance to Bank Staff

Encourage countries undertaking Bank-assisted PV projects to comply with:

a) Photovoltaic quality labeling programs, e.g., PV GAP

b) International consensus standards – IEC,  ISO, or similar from organizations with international standing, or PVRS specifications when international consensus standards not available

c) Conformity Assessment Certificate issued by  IECEE-PV; or in the absence of (a), (b) or (c)

d) National-level standards or project-level procurement specification  as deemed appropriate by local authorities

Assuring QualityAssuring Quality

Quality at entry is easier. Quality enforcement is tougher

Other requirements: Warranties, buy-back agreements, performance bonds Require service centers staffed by trained staff and

accessible to consumers, stocked with spare parts Consumer information

Incentives: Strengthening testing & certification center capabilities Assistance in national standards

development/improvement Cost sharing of testing/certification services Technology improvement grants Technical assistance for service improvement and

training

World Bank Support World Bank Support Examples Examples

Quality Program for Photovoltaics http://www.worldbank.org/astae/qpp/

Setting standards – Sri Lanka, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Mozambique, Laos, PVGAP collaboration…

Strengthening PV testing capabilities China PV module and battery testing Indonesia BOS testing

ISO 9000 training for PV/BOS manufacture– India, China, South Africa, Philippines

Market Development Support Facility cost-shared grants – Philippines, China

Technology Improvement Program cost-shared grants – China Facilitating access to international markets – Indonesia,

China Consumer outreach

IMPORTANT: MUST BE CONDUCTED WITHIN A PV MARKET DEVELOPMENT/SUPPORT PROGRAM – NOT IN ISOLATION

Enforcing QualityEnforcing Quality

Enforcement mechanisms: Batch testing of key components Field inspection of installations and field surveys Random samples collected from outlets/warehouses &

retested Consumer education Respond to consumer complaints

Results: Quality in general has been good and improving Enforcement is expensive Companies have greater appreciation of quality – reduces

costs, increases market share, creates export opportunities Where problems detected, cancel participation and impose

penalties – publicize!

SummarySummary

Need to constantly emphasize and pay attention to product and service quality

Help customers recognize good quality and its value

Enforcement is important but so is giving the means to improve and maintain quality

For more information…For more information…

http://www.worldbank.org/projects

http://www.worldbank.org/re

http://www.worldbank.org/retoolkit