Pakistan has taken a significant step toward improving the quality standards of its solar energy sector with the inauguration of the country’s first dedicated testing laboratory for photovoltaic modules and allied equipment. The PAK-KOREA Testing Laboratory for Photovoltaic Modules and Allied Equipment has been established through a collaboration between the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Korea International Cooperation Agency, marking a milestone in Pakistan’s efforts to regulate solar panel quality and strengthen its renewable energy infrastructure.
The facility was developed using a 9.5 million United States dollar grant from the Korea International Cooperation Agency, supplemented by Rs185.8 million from Pakistan’s Public Sector Development Programme. The laboratory will commence full-scale operations following the completion of the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO-17025 accreditation process, which includes compliance with international standards IEC-61215 and IEC-61730. In preparation for the lab’s operationalisation, the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority has already initiated the process to include solar panels on its list of mandatory items subject to regulatory oversight. Once fully functional, the facility will enable random testing of samples drawn from all imported solar panel consignments, establishing a robust quality control mechanism for a product that has flooded the Pakistani market in recent years with widely varying standards of reliability and efficiency.
The Korea International Cooperation Agency oversaw the entire development process, including construction, equipment installation, commissioning, and a nine-month training programme designed to prepare local technical experts for the laboratory’s day-to-day operations. Looking further ahead, the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority is aiming to achieve Certification Body Testing Laboratory status, a designation that would allow the facility to issue International Electrotechnical Commission-compliant certificates to locally manufactured solar panels. This accreditation would be a considerable boost for Pakistan’s domestic solar manufacturing industry, opening pathways for exports to markets in Europe and Central Asia that require internationally recognised quality certifications.
Korea International Cooperation Agency President Chang Won Sam and Korean Ambassador to Pakistan Park Jae-Lark jointly inaugurated the facility. President Sam remarked that Pakistan’s abundant sunshine gives it a natural geographic advantage in solar energy generation, and affirmed that Korea remains committed to supporting the country in aligning with global testing and certification standards. Korea International Cooperation Agency Project Manager Dr Jaesang Park expressed confidence that the laboratory would play a pivotal role in strengthening Pakistan’s solar industry and raising its competitiveness in international markets, where quality assurance and certification are increasingly non-negotiable prerequisites for market entry.
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