Diagnostics Business for Photovoltaic Power Generation to Expand into India
Plans to start BIS certification business for solar panels in partnership with PI Berlin
2018.08.07
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo: 4183; President & CEO: Tsutomu Tannowa) today announced plans to establish a solar panel testing and certification lab in the Indian state of Gujarat in partnership with PI Berlin.
Energy demand is increasing in India due to an expanding population and an economic growth rate that is holding steady at close to 7%. And with a surging number of photovoltaic power generation facilities being planned, the Indian government this July implemented a measure to block the country’s influx of poor-quality solar panels by requiring BIS certification*1 for panels used in all photovoltaic projects.
Mitsui Chemicals has been driving forward its diagnostics business for photovoltaic power generation in Japan since 2014. Now leveraging its accumulated know-how in panel and power plant diagnostics, Mitsui Chemicals will roll out the same business in India. Affiliated company Mitsui Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd. (MCIND: New Delhi, India; President: Suraj Arya) is setting up a solar panel testing and certification lab in partnership with PI Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin AG of Germany (PI Berlin), a leading provider of accredited lab testing services. The facility will begin admitting BIS certification tests in August 2019. Plans are to establish a track record in BIS testing and certification and then use this to build a diagnostics business for solar panels and power plants.
Business Rollout in India
*1BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) certification : comparable to Japan's JIS certification but obtainable only accredited facilities in India
*2 IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) certification: an international standards certification for the electric and electronics sector
Overview of MCIND Solar Panel Testing and Certification Lab
| Location | Ahmadabad, Gujarat, India |
|---|---|
| Business overview | BIS certification of solar panels (with future rollout of diagnostics business for panels and power plants) |
| Schedule (tentative) | Construction begins in October 2018. Completion in March 2019. Testing commences in August 2019. Receive accreditation as a BIS testing and certification lab by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) |
Mitsui Chemicals' diagnostics business for photovoltaic power generation is Blue ValueTM*3-certified as helping to reduce greenhouse gases produced through photovoltaic power generation, with this including panel diagnostics prior to power plant construction to prevent deterioration in panel generation capacity. Through this business, Mitsui Chemicals Group will continue to help solve social issues being targeted under sustainable development goals (SDGs).
*3Blue Value™: To create “a cohesive society in harmony with the environment", Mitsui Chemicals Group makes the contributions of its products and services more visible to share that value with stakeholders. We assess products and services with separate metrics according to their usage and award Blue ValueTM certification to those that have high value in making an environmental contribution.
◆ Mitsui Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd.
| Establishment | February 2008 |
|---|---|
| Capital | 300 million rupees (Mitsui Chemicals: 99%, Mitsui Chemicals Asia Pacific: 1%) |
| Head office | New Delhi, India |
| Business | Marketing and sale of Mitsui Chemicals Group products |
◆ PI Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin AG
| Establishment | October 2006 |
|---|---|
| Basic capital | EUR 137,596.00 |
| Head office | Berlin, Germany |
| Business | Based in Europe, a leading region in photovoltaic (PV) power generation, PI Photovoltaik-Institut Berlin is leading technical advisor, risk manager and quality assurance provider for PV equipment and power plants. PI Berlin uses its accredited testing and certification labs to provide solar panel-related testing, certification and R&D along with independent technical diligence services for PV power plants and PV panel manufacturing. PI Berlin has assessed more than 67 GW of PV panel manufacturing capacity, 7.5 GW of PV power plants and conducted more than 245 factory audits on over 120 manufacturers |