Solar Keymark

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Solar Keymark

• The European Certification Scheme

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Solar Heating and Cooling

• Also known as solar thermal or solar water
  heating
• Part of Renewable Heating and Cooling sector
• Solar Thermal
• Geothermal
• Biomass
• Solar Thermal Energy ? Solar (Thermal) Power

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Solar Thermal Collectors
Flat Plate Collectors
Evacuated Tube Collectors
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Solar Thermal Collectors
Unglazed Collectors
Air Collectors
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Solar Thermal Systems
Forced Circulation DHW, Combi or Combi (DHW
heating cooling)
Thermosiphon Domestic Hot Water (DHW)
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The Solar Keymark
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Why a Solar Keymark

• In the 1990s
• financial support programs in various countries
• European market grew from 250.000 kWth to over
  800.000 kWth per year
• Many companies started exporting their
  productsBUT
• Different requirements in every incentive
  programmes became an obstacle to market entry

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Why a Solar Keymark

• Before 2003 If manufacturers wanted to sell one
  product to different countries in Europe, they
  had to undergo several tests and gain additional
  certificates and approvals.
• very complicated, expensive and cumbersome
• In 2003 the European Solar Thermal Industry and
  major testing institutes formulated the Solar
  Keymark Scheme rules

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Why a Solar Keymark

• To certify conformity with EN standards
• EN 12975 for collectors
• EN 12976 for factory made systems
• EN 12977 for custom built systems
• To reduce wild growth of testing requirements,
  establishment of certificates in order to reduce
  the trade barriers and open the European market
  for solar thermal products

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What is the Solar Keymark

• The Keymark is the
• pan-European voluntary
• third-party certification mark, demonstrating to
  users and consumers that a product is in
  conformity with the relevant European Standard.
• Note the Keymark should not be confused with CE
  marking.

.. the key to the European market !!!
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How does the Solar Keymark work

• 4 Key requirements
• Initial type test at an accredited test lab
• Sample selected by inspector out of production or
  stock
• Factory production control system (similar to ISO
  9000 series)
• Physical inspection of current product after 2
  years

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How does the Solar Keymark work

• Current standards
• Collectors EN 12975
• Durability, reliability, safety, performance of
  liquid heating collectors, glazed unglazed
• Not included air collectors

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How does the Solar Keymark work

• Current standards
• Factory made systems EN 12976
• Durability, reliability, safety, performance of
  kits
• Custom built systems EN 12977
• Water stores
• Other components soon

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Why is the Solar Keymark a success story

• strong increase of
• certified products
• over 1800 products already
• most national
• subsidy schemes and regulations in EU
• accept Solar KEYMARK

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Why is the Solar Keymark a success story

• Reduced testing for producers
• one test for all countries
• freedom of choice with testing centers
• type testing instead of testing of all possible
  collectors (different sizes,..)
• Easier and faster access to markets
• Europe and beyond
• new products

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Why is the Solar Keymark a success story

• Quality assurance for customers and public
  authorities
• Improved competitiveness
• Following most developed standards for solar
  thermal worldwide
• Through factory inspection the standard of
  production processes improves

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More information
www.solarkeymark.org

• list of certified products
• list of testing laboratories
• list of certification bodies
• download brochures in
• Croatian (or 9 other languages)
• detailed country reports

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Please do not hesitate to contact us

• European Solar Thermal Industry Federation
  (ESTIF)Renewable Energy HouseRue dArlon
  63-67B-1040 BrusselsTel 32 2 400 10 80Fax
  32 2 546 19 39Email skn_at_estif.org Website
  www.estif.org