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Standards Basics

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The PV standards landscape and certification basics

Articles

• If the Module Already Passed IEC 61730, Why Do Junction Boxes and Backsheets Need Their Own Certification?The module already holds IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certificates — so why must junction boxes, connectors, cables and backsheets obtain certificates of their own, while glass, encapsulant and ribbon usually do not? This article explains which auxiliary materials need separate certification, which IEC component standards apply, and what problem that actually solves.
• Is Passing IEC 61215 Enough? A Guide to the "Extra Exams" for PV Module ReliabilityIEC 61215 / 61730 are a standard exam set for a generic outdoor climate. We map the standards IEC has added in four directions (extended stress, IEC TS 63209; scaled-down, IEC TS 63163; accelerated, IEC 62506; high temperature, IEC TS 63126) plus a dozen specific standards for hail, snow, salt mist, PID, LeTID and more, with a scenario quick reference.
• IEC, UL, GB, Industry and Association Standards: How PV Standards RelateStandards, certification and market access are three different things. We explain how IEC, UL, GB, GB/T, industry, association and enterprise standards relate: which is the technical base, where the obligation comes from, adoption and version gaps, and what changes with China's first mandatory national standards for PV modules in 2026.
• How Much of the Power Lost in UV Testing Is Real? Trina Splits TOPCon UVID into Reversible and IrreversibleA Trina Solar team writing in SOLMAT divides ultraviolet-induced degradation in TOPCon cells into reversible r-UVID and irreversible ir-UVID, aligned with the recovery procedure in the proposed IEC TS 63624-1: a higher UV dose followed by a standardised light soak. What recovers is temporary loss; only what remains belongs in warranties and yield models. We unpack the logic of the classification, the status of the standard and the trade-offs in the passivation stack.
• What Every PV Professional Should Know: How Do IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 Differ?IEC 61215 is about whether a module lasts; IEC 61730 is about whether it is safe. This article explains the difference and the connection between these two core PV module standards: their purpose, test programmes, relationship, scope and common misconceptions.