SunSpec Alliance partners with 7 test labs to certify products for its solar, storage communication standards

SunSpec Alliance, the information standards and certification organization for the Distributed Energy Resource (DER) industry, announced the first SunSpec Authorized Test Laboratory (ATL) partners to provide SunSpec Certified testing services to a global roster of SunSpec Alliance member companies. SunSpec Authorized Test Laboratories represent a foundational service for inverter and other component manufacturers to demonstrate readiness to meet the communications requirements of California Rule 21. They provide testing services, with the SunSpec engineering team responsible for validating results and issuing certification marks.

“Communication-oriented markets leverage certification programs to foster growth, increase stakeholder confidence and lower total system costs. The SunSpec Certified program employs best practices proven by other industries,” said Tom Tansy, Chairman of the SunSpec Alliance. “SunSpec Authorized Test Laboratories provide impartiality and broad market availability of test services for dominant DER communication standards.”

The SunSpec Certified program culminates 10 years of developing de facto standards that enable solar PV and energy storage systems to interoperate transparently with system components, software applications, financial systems and the smart grid. The program provides DER interoperability, data communications and cybersecurity functionality standards, aligned with international and national protocols, to accelerate industry growth, lower costs and enhance customer confidence.

SunSpec Certified Authorized Test Laboratories announced to date include:

• UL LLC
• Kyrio
• SGS
• PCTEST Engineering Laboratory Inc.
• Intertek
• CSA Group
• TUV Rheinland of North America

Initial DER communication compliance programs addressed by SunSpec ATLs include Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standard (IEEE) 2030.5 / Common Smart Inverter Profile (CSIP), the default communication standard for California Rule 2, and SunSpec Communication Signal for Rapid Shutdown, a de facto standard to achieve compliance with the PV hazard control requirements of the 2017 National Electrical Code.

SunSpec recently upgraded its SunSpec Certified program to fulfill its responsibilities as the compliance authority for California Rule 21 communication requirements (SunSpec test criteria is specifically referenced in CA Rule 21) and to realize the success of the SunSpec Communication Signal for Rapid Shutdown standard, which has been adopted by more than 50 semiconductor, PV module and inverter manufacturers.