The Schatz Center has been testing off-grid solar products since 2006. Our lab is the technical lead for the VeraSol Quality Assurance Program. Early activities involved a partnership with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory through the Lumina Project. In 2009 we became the technical lead for the Lighting Global Quality Assurance program, which was a joint initiative of the International Finance Corporation and World Bank. In February 2020, Lighting Global, CLASP, and the Schatz Energy Research Center launched VeraSol, an evolved quality assurance program that responds to the market’s growing needs. Since 2009, our laboratory has tested over 150 off-grid solar products and has played a critical role in the development of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Specification 62257-9-5 and IEC 62257-9-8.
Our laboratory’s ISO 17025 accreditation certificate to conduct testing according to IEC/TS 62257-9-5 is issued by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB). We are approved by VeraSol to conduct all test types for pico-products and SHS kits, including the Quality Test Method, Renewal testing, Accelerated Verification Method, Initial Screening Method, and Market Check Method. With over ten years of experience in off-grid product testing, we are uniquely equipped to test complex lighting technologies and implement new testing strategies.
- If you have any questions about testing your product, would like a quote, or would like to communicate a complaint or suggestion, feel free to contact us at offgridsolar@schatzlab.org.
- Shipping to the Schatz Center? Please read our shipping guidelines.
- The IEC, the World Bank Group, and the United Nations Foundation have collaborated to provide discounts to qualified stakeholders to purchase IEC/TS 62257-9-5. Check to see if you qualify for a discount on key IEC documents.
- Visit our off-grid energy access page to learn more about the Center’s role in VeraSol and other off-grid projects.
