Quality Management for Photovoltaic Implementation

With the increased emphasis on the role of electricity in rural development and poverty alleviation, it is very important that future PV-based rural electrification programmes are seen to bring real benefits to rural communities in developing countries. Many previous projects have not met with the degree of success they might have because of a lack of quality at some point in the delivery chain. This lack of quality has been seen at all levels in the implementation process – be it a lack of competent personnel within an implementing agency, a lack of well trained installation and maintenance technicians or poor hardware quality.

By imposing a quality remit on an implementation programme, the likelihood of a project’s success can be substantially enhanced. It is generally acknowledged that recognised standards lead to increased quality of a given product. However, the issue of quality assurance goes beyond compliance with technical standards. In order for a PV implementation programme to be successful, it needs to be designed with quality assurance in mind throughout the implementation process, not just when hardware is procured. Quality assurance has important implications for, inter alia, programme design, selection of equipment and supplier, checking compliance of systems/components delivered, installation and commissioning, ongoing maintenance, and training of personnel at various levels.

For a PV implementation programme, or indeed any rural electrification programme, there are three important areas of quality control:

• quality management – which covers the operational procedures of the organisations involved – from PV system installers and hardware suppliers to technical consultants, financiers and service providers.
• technical standards – compliance with technical standards provides a degree of assurance that components and systems meet agreed performance criteria
• quality of training – ensures that system design, installation, commissioning and maintenance personnel have been trained to an agreed level of competence.

A requirement that recognised levels of quality are maintained in each of these three areas will help to ensure the success of a programme. Furthermore, the use of quality management systems, certified components and practitioners and accredited training programmes is of direct benefit to all the stakeholders in a rural electrification programme. The spin-offs of this improved reliability have repercussions throughout the length of the supply chain and impacts on every stakeholder within the programme, as well as within sectors that have yet to fully recognise the market potential that PV technology represents.