A researcher uses new testing equipment at the Ecolibrium Solar R&D facility in Colorado.
The solar industry changes fast, and smart companies will work to keep pace. The challenge, however, is new products require extensive testing to have a legitimate place—and chance—in the market. One third-party test of a product can take months and many thousands of dollars.
But at least one company has found a way to accelerate the process. Solar mounting manufacturer Ecolibrium Solar has built its own testing facility at its Colorado location. And, importantly, it announced in April that it had become a Certified Partner Lab by TÜV Rheinland PTL. The program allows Ecolibrium Solar to conduct tests within the scope of their accreditation, which includes many of the UL 2703 tests.
“It’s a pretty big investment and a pretty big commitment to have a lab organized this way,” said Sam Veague, vice president of commercial sales at Ecolibrium Solar. He said he knows of just one other company in the mounting sector that has its own certified testing lab.
The benefit for Ecolibrium is an instantaneous understanding of how products behave under test conditions. It will benefit customers, too, as the lab will help speed new products to market, Veague said.
“[Before we had the lab], let’s say we designed a product and mailed it to the testing facility, then we got it back and it had failed,” Veague hypothesized. “You have no idea what happened, you just have corroded parts in the end. Now we can observe testing first hand as the test progresses, and gain greater insight into how products are performing.
Veague said Ecolibrium Solar’s goal is to bring new product to market every three to six months. Traditional testing can take months, depending on a facility’s schedule. Having control of the testing schedule is a big benefit, Veague said.
Under the Partner Lab agreement, all testing is conducted under the technical direction of TÜV Rheinland PTL. TÜV Rheinland PTL provides dedicated engineering support throughout review, testing and certification phases.
“There is a sense of doing it ourselves, but ultimately this is a TÜV-backed certification. It’s like we’re part of TÜV’s labs, and I think it’s an important distinction,” Veague said. “Working under the direction of TUV, we are held to strict processes and testing standards. This ensures that we cover every test element properly, while still gaining the direct experience and insight of running the tests in our facility.
Indeed, becoming your own testing lab is not a simple proposition.
“To gain this certification goes way beyond simple paperwork and a lab visit,” Veague said. “One, we brought in a considerable amount of test equipment. Next, we can’t just have that equipment, we need to fully understand how to run and operate it. Finally, we need quality and process control measures in place to manage and document our testing.
Going forward, Ecolibrium Solar will add additional testing and certification capabilities beyond UL 2703. The company also plans to offer testing services to evaluate products from other manufacturers.