On September 16, on the occasion of the 4th China Quality Conference, the Symposium on the Quality Assurance System and Testing Technology for Off-grid Solar Products, sponsored by Lighting Global of World Bank Group (WBG), Market Supervision and Regulation Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU), was successfully held. Russell Sturm, head of Energy Access of International Finance Corporation (IFC) and founder of Lighting Global, Li Zhong, party secretary and director-general of Market Supervision and Regulation Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, and Prof. Ruan Shuangchen, president of SZTU, addressed the symposium. Over 20,000 representatives from relevant enterprises and social organizations attended the event online.

Li Zhong, party secretary and director-general of Market Supervision and Regulation Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality [Photo/Quality and Standards Academy]

In his speech, Li Zhong stated that the Market Supervision and Regulation Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality will optimize its mechanism to improve the quality and standards of off-grid solar energy, thereby supporting a better life for people and high-quality development. It is expected that Shenzhen will be engaged in more diversified ways of cooperation on international standardization in this field with a broader vision, and provide more “Made-in-China” products worldwide.

Prof. Ruan Shuangchen, president of SZTU [Photo/Quality and Standards Academy]

Prof. Ruan mentioned that the needs of industrial development guide talent cultivation, and hoped that an exchange platform will be built through the symposium to help college education gear up to meet enterprise demand accurately and to promote the cultivation of applied talents in off-grid solar industry in China. It is expected that SZTU will deepen industry-university cooperation to provide China’s high-tech industries with high-quality talents in applied sciences with hands-on and innovation skills as well as lifelong learning abilities.

Russell Sturm, head of Energy Access of IFC and founder of Lighting Global [Photo/ https://www.lightingglobal.org/]

Russell Sturm noted that the establishment of Lighting Global Quality Assurance has regularized the international off-grid solar product market and protected the rights and interests of both consumers and enterprises. The adoption of the Lighting Global Quality Standards as international standards by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), the release of the Chinese version of the corresponding international standards, and the adoption of these standards by the market-leading Chinese industry, are significant milestones for the development of off-grid solar industry.

Experts give presentations on VeraSol and IEC standards. [Photo/Quality and Standards Academy]

At the symposium, experts from top organizations in the industry, such as Schatz Energy Research Center of Humboldt State University and Lighting Global of WBG, shared their views on the quality assurance framework, quality requirements and testing methods of VeraSol that represents a continuation of the Lighting Global Quality Assurance Program.

Tips: (The information below is cited from the official website of Lighting Global.)

Lighting Global is the World Bank Group’s platform to support sustainable growth of the international off-grid solar market and rapidly increase energy access to the 1.6 billion people living without electricity. For over a decade, the program has built a mature global off-grid solar industry ecosystem, becoming a bridge for off-grid solar enterprises to the international market. As China is a major producer of off-grid solar energy and its products, this symposium has raised the awareness and understanding of Lighting Global Quality Standards among those involved in off-grid solar products in China and helped Chinese manufacturers to produce products that meet the Standards, thus contributing to tackling the problem of electricity shortage in poor areas worldwide, and accelerating the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Drafted by Olivia（赖丽伟）/ International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office

Revised by International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office

Edited by International Cooperation & Student Affairs Office