Global Approval Program for Photovoltaics

Press Release: 10 November 1998

PV GAP Receives UNDP Contract

Peter Varadi, Chairman of PV GAP, has announced that PV GAP received a US$25,000 contract from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to develop an implementation program for the PV GAP standards framework in five targeted countries: Argentina, China, India, Indonesia, and South Africa.

The goals of this contract are

1. Develop a simple manual which could be used also by small companies in the Developing Countries (and naturally in every other country), to easily establish in their production a Quality Assurance Program based on the guidelines of ISO 9000 which then would also be acceptable by IECQ/PV GAP.
2. Review the possibilities of in country testing facilities and what has this facilities have to do to obtain certification under ISO Guide 25, to be acceptable in the IECQ/PV GAP program. In case no testing facility exists propose an alternative solution.
3. Review the possibilities to establish an IECQ approved NSI in the country or to propose solutions to avoid unreasonable expenses for the Companies in those Countries.

The preliminary work will be completed not later than by the end of January 1999. At that point, the material will be circulated to persons selected by UNDP and the World Bank in the above five countries, as well as to the PV GAP Board (and Advisory Board), to IECQ Officers, and others interested in the project. Comments will be reviewed and the above three items will be modified accordingly.

After the comments are received, before the final report is completed, a Meeting will be organized to which persons from the 5 selected countries will be invited as well as others interested in the subject. This Conference will take place in April 1999 in Geneva, Switzerland (in the IEC complex). This meeting will be sponsored primarily by the Swiss Government.

It is planned that the PV GAP Board meeting will also be held following the above Conference, in order that PV GAP Board members should be able to attend the PV GAP Implementation Conference organized for the Developing Countries.

For more information, please contact the PV GAP Secretariat [Mr. Richard Kay - Secretary (acting)]; c/o IEC Central Office, 3 rue Varembe (Box 131, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland; Tel: 41 22 919 02 16; Fax: 41 22 919 03 00; e-mail: rk@iec.ch; URL: http://www.pvpower.com.