The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has issued mandatory national standards for "Photovoltaic Module Safety Requirements" and "Photovoltaic Module Nameplate Marking Requirements"

   On March 24th, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued a public notice seeking opinions on two mandatory national standards (draft for approval), namely "Safety Requirements for Photovoltaic Modules" and "Requirements for Nameplate Identification of Photovoltaic Modules". The "Safety Requirements for Photovoltaic Modules" stipulates the overall and safety requirements for ground-mounted photovoltaic modules, describes the corresponding test methods, and is applicable to photovoltaic modules that operate under outdoor climatic conditions for extended periods and have a system voltage not exceeding 1500V. Other types of photovoltaic modules may refer to this document for guidance. However, this document is not applicable to space-mounted photovoltaic modules or concentrator photovoltaic modules. The preparation instructions for the "Safety Requirements for Photovoltaic Modules" point out that some enterprises, in pursuit of short-term benefits, have relaxed product quality and standardization requirements, leading to the emergence of some low-quality and inferior products in the market. Quality defects in photovoltaic modules have caused large-scale glass breakage, structural failure, delamination of encapsulation materials, and other phenomena, posing extremely high risks of safety accidents such as fires and electric shocks. This not only threatens personal and property safety and the operational safety of power stations but also affects the image and reputation of the entire industry.

   To strengthen market supervision and guide the healthy and high-quality development of the industry, in accordance with Article 10 of the Standardization Law, mandatory national standards should be established for technical requirements that safeguard personal health and the safety of life and property. The mandatory national standard for "Photovoltaic Module Safety Requirements" is formulated, aiming to comprehensively enhance the safety performance of photovoltaic modules throughout their entire lifecycle through unified safety specifications, effectively prevent major safety risks, and provide guarantees for building a new power system, ensuring energy security, and promoting high-quality development of the industry.

   The "Requirements for Photovoltaic Module Nameplate Identification" stipulates the general and identification requirements for ground-mounted photovoltaic module nameplates. This document applies to the nameplate identification of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules and thin-film photovoltaic modules intended for long-term outdoor use. Other types of photovoltaic modules may refer to this document for guidance. However, this document does not apply to space-borne photovoltaic modules and concentrator photovoltaic modules.

   The background of the compilation of "Requirements for Photovoltaic Module Nameplate Identification" points out that the industry has encountered issues such as large-scale homogenization of layout, "involution-style" competition in the market, and a steep decline in industry profits. Some enterprises, in pursuit of short-term interests, have engaged in phenomena such as "false power labeling" and "false advertising" on nameplates, which not only harm the interests of consumers but also affect the overall image of the industry.

   To strengthen market supervision and guide the healthy and high-quality development of the industry, in accordance with Article 10 of the Standardization Law, mandatory national standards shall be formulated for technical requirements that meet the basic needs of economic and social management. The formulation of the mandatory national standard for "Requirements for Photovoltaic Module Nameplate Identification" aims to clarify the specifications for photovoltaic module nameplate identification, unify the parameter values of nameplates and their measurement methods, ensure that nameplate information is "true and verifiable", eliminate the phenomenon of artificial "false power labeling", shape a fair competition order, and maintain the overall image of the industry.