Establishment of Pak-Korea Testing Facility for PV Modules and Allied Equipment

Pakistan was facing the immense issue of import of substandard photovoltaic panels. The federal government directed Pakistan Council of Renewable Energy Technologies (PCRET) working under Ministry of Science and Technology to prepare a PSDP project to address the issue.

Accordingly PCRET prepared the project and also approached the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), representing government of South Korea. The KOICA approved grant of USD 9.5 Million to build, equip and provide training for international accreditation and smooth operation of this testing lab under project titled “Establishment of Pak-Korea Testing Facility for PV Modules and Allied equipment”. The government of Pakistan approved Rs. 71.629 Million for the project under Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The project initiated on 08 August 2019 and will be completed by 30 June 2024. The project site has been cleared of all the trees and levelled. All the required topographic and geotechnical surveys have been completed. The initial architectural design of the testing lab is finalised. The KOICA has hired a consortium of three firms under Korea Confirmatory Laboratories (KCL) in South Korea to execute and complete this project.The KCL has hired Islamabad based architectural firm to finalise the architectural design as per local bylaws of project site. Initial appointment under local share of the project is completed including Assistant Director Civil who will look after the whole construction phase of project site form PCRET’s point of view.

The Testing lab will be fully equipped to conduct testing of photovoltaic modules as per international standards i.e. IEC 61215 and IEC 61730. The testing facility will also be accredited under ISO 17025. The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA)is already on board and the testing Lab after completion and accreditations will function as Certification Body Testing Laboratory (CBTL) of PSQCA.