TÜV Rheinland opens solar module testing lab in China

From pv magazine Germany

TÜV Rheinland announced it will open a new laboratory for solar module testing in Taicang, near Shanghai, China.

The German certification body said the new lab will be located at the Yangtze River Delta Operation Hub, which is now under construction, and will have a total surface of around 12,000 m2.

“These include a more than 5,000-square-meter laboratory for testing photovoltaic modules and a more than 2,000-square-meter laboratory for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) testing,” TÜV Rheinland said in a statement. “There is also a 4,000-square-meter laboratory for EMC testing specifically of automotive electronics and automotive parts, as type testing of autonomous vehicle systems as well as electric vehicles is becoming increasingly important.”

In further expansion, TÜV Rheinland is planning to create a laboratory space totaling 37,000 m2 there by the end of 2023. This will make the facility the company's largest laboratory site in China, and incorporate testing for electronic products, automotive parts, and autonomous vehicle systems as well.

So far, 150 additional jobs have been created in Taicang, after the complete expansion up to 500 employees will work there. The site will be closely integrated into the testing company's worldwide laboratory network.

“For TÜV Rheinland, the Yangtze River Delta Operation Hub is one of the largest single investments in recent years,” says CEO Michael Fübi, adding that the project shows the importance that TÜV Rheinland attaches to the Chinese market. “With our safety and quality tests, we support Chinese customers entering global markets.”