SCIENCE

EUROPEAN SOLAR THERMAL STANDARDS

AND SOLAR KEYMARK CERTIFICATION
J. E. Nielsen1

1.Secretary of the Solar Keymark Network

ABSTRACT

This paper gives an update on European standards (EN’s) and European certification (Solar Keymark) for solar thermal products:
· Solar Keymark certification covers now 80-90% of the European collector market
· Strong increase in Solar Keymark for complete compact systems expected.
· The European Standards are being revised just now to include more systems and components types and to adapt
to European Directives (CE-marking).

INTRODUCTION EUROPEAN STANDARDS

The European Standards and the Solar Keymark Several European standards have been established
certification have been introduced in order to: in the solar thermal field during the last years - see
· Assure quality of solar thermal products table 1. Several revisions of the product standards are
· Open the EU market for solar thermal products in the pipeline - see table 2 and 3.
These aims have been achieved to a very large The new collector standards will include
extent: improved durability test procedures and new test
· 80-90 % of all collectors sold now in EU show methods for e.g. air collectors. A procedure for
Solar Keymark calculating annual collector performance will be
· bad quality collectors have not been an issue for included too.
many years It is foreseen that part of the collector standard
· consumers have confidence in Solar Keymark will be obligatory (CE-marking related to the
Construction Products Directives (CPD).
· non-certified products have difficult market
The standards for Factory made system will be
conditions
adapted to the upcoming Energy Labelling and
· Collectors showing Solar Keymark are accepted
ECoDEsign requirements.
all over EU (with minor add-on requirements in
some Member States)

Table 1. List of European standards published. The ENV 12977’s are “preliminary standards”.
Standard reference Title
Thermal solar systems and components - Solar collectors -
EN 12975-1:2006
Part 1: General Requirements
Thermal solar systems and components - Solar collectors -
EN 12975-2:2006
Part 2: Test methods
Thermal solar systems and components - Factory made systems - Part 1: General
EN 12976-1:2006
requirements
EN 12976-2:2006 Thermal solar systems and components - Factory made systems - Part 2: Test methods
Thermal solar systems and components - Custom built systems - Part 3: Performance
EN 12977-3:2008
test methods for solar water heater stores
Thermal solar systems and components - Custom built systems - Part 1: General
ENV 12977-1:2001
requirements
ENV 12977-2:2001 Thermal solar systems and components - Custom built systems - Part 2: Test methods

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Table 2. Planned revisions of EN 12975 & -76.

Title: Plan for revision into harmonized
Time
Standard reference Thermal solar systems standards
schedule
and components - … (CE-marking related to CPD)
Include annex ZA (defining the
Solar collectors - Part 1: obligatory part of the standard). 3 years
prEN 12975-1
General Requirements Include necessary and high priority
changes/improvements.
Solar collectors - Part 2: Include necessary and high priority 3 years
prEN 12975-2
Test methods changes/improvements.
Include annex ZA (defining the
Factory made systems
obligatory part of the standard). Include 3 years
prEN 12976-1 - Part 1: General
necessary and high priority
Requirements
changes/improvements.
Include necessary and high priority
Factory made systems 3 years
prEN 12976-2 changes/improvements. Incorporate EU-
- Part 2: Test methods
reference tapping cycle

Table 3. Planned revisions/restructuring of ENV 12977 series into CEN/TS documents (apart from Part 3, which has
already been published as an EN, see table 1).
Title:
Standard reference. Status Dates
Thermal solar systems and components - …

Custom built systems - - Part 1: General

prCEN/TS 12977-1 requirements for solar water heaters and To be published 2009
combisystems
- Custom built systems – Part 2: Test methods
prCEN/TS 12977-2 To be published
for solar water heaters and combisystems 2009
Thermal solar systems and components - Custom
prCEN/TS 12977-4 built systems - Part 4: Performance test methods To be published 2009
for solar combistores
- Custom built systems - Part 5: Performance
prCEN/TS 12977-5 To be published 2009
test methods for control equipment

The ENV 12977 series has been revised (and installation of solar heating systems in buildings has
restructured) and is now just about to be published as been developed and published. This standard is part
CEN/TS (TS: Technical Specification) - see table 3. It of the “package” of standards issued in connection to
has been decided to develop the CEN/TS documents into the EC Energy Performance of Building Directive.
European Standards (EN’S), making Solar Keymark Finally there is a common ISO/EN standard for
available for custom built systems - including systems wording and definitions in the solar thermal field -
which provide space heating too. see table 5.
An EN for how to calculate savings due to

Table 4. EN standard for calculating savings due to solar heating systems in buildings
Title
Standard reference. Heating systems in buildings – Method for calculation Status Dates
of system energy requirements and system efficiencies
– Part 4.3 Heat generation systems, thermal solar
EN 15316-4-3 Published 2007
systems

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Table 5. EN/ISO standard for wording and definitions in the solar thermal field (just recently opened for revision).
Standard reference. Title Status

EN/ ISO 9488:1999 Solar energy - Vocabulary Published

SOLAR KEYMARK BUT as pr October 2009, it has been possible

to test only one-two systems in a “system family” (with
The initiative to develop a common many different tank and collector sizes); and have the
European quality label for solar thermal whole range of system configurations certified -
products was taken by the European Solar including the performance figures for all
Thermal Industry Federation, ESTIF configurations. It is expected that this new flexibility
in 1999. The - at that time new - CEN will lead to much faster development in system
Keymark certification scheme certificates than seen up till now.
(CEN/CENELEC, 2006) was chosen as “template” for
the solar thermal product certification. Logo of the
CEN Keymark is seen to the right SOLAR KEYMARK NETWORK &
The CEN Keymark for solar thermal products SECRETARIAT
“Solar Keymark” is a voluntary 3rd party certification
mark stating conformity with the European Standards: The “Solar Keymark Network” acts (together with
· EN12975 (collectors) CEN) as the framework for the Solar Keymark scheme.
· EN12976 (“factory made systems”). Members of the network are:
The main elements in the Solar Keymark are: · Industrial representatives
· Type testing - by accredited test lab of test · Solar Keymark certification bodies
sample - taken out of production /stock by 3rd · Solar Keymark test labs and inspectors
party
· Annual inspection of factory production control The main tasks for the Solar Keymark Network are:
· Bi-annual detailed inspection of product. · organise regular meetings of the Solar Keymark
The Keymark certification can be done only Network (twice a year)
by certification bodies empowered by the CEN · exchange of experience and harmonisation of
Certification Board. procedures
· define guidelines how to proceed in cases where
the available standards and scheme rules are not
SOLAR KEYMARK STATUS detailed enough
· improve and further develop the Solar Keymark
The number of Solar Keymark licenses issued has scheme rules
exploded in the last couple of years –the number of · act as a clearing body in case of conflicts
Solar Keymark licences is now (November 2009) close · organise round robin testing to assure quality of
to 1000. It is estimated that far most (80-90%) of the test results from all testing laboratories
collectors now sold in Europe show the Solar The Solar Keymark Network is assisted by
Keymark. a Solar Keymark Network Secretariat held by the
Solar Keymark is now widely accepted and European Solar Industry Federation, ESTIF. The tasks
recognised in - more or less - all national European of the secretariat are:
certification schemes, subsidy schemes and regulations · advising manufacturers and distributors in how
– however still some minor add-on requirements exist to obtain Solar Keymark license for their
in a few member states: products
· Spain requires also ISO 9001 certification of the · maintaining the www.solarkeymark.org website
factory production control (collectors) – including updated listing of:
· Germany requires (for collectors) a declaration · product certificates
that the products fulfil requirements in “Blue · recognised Solar Keymark test labs &
Engel” and a special calculation showing inspectors
a collector performance > 525 kWh/m² per year. · empowered Solar Keymark certification
· In France some insurance companies require bodies
national certification (CSTBat) to insure houses
· latest versions of specific certification
with solar thermal systems.
scheme rules
So far great success for collectors, but only slow
· relevant standards
development in numbers of certificates for systems. So
· issuing news with respect of recognition and
far each and every system configuration had to be
acceptance of the Solar Keymark
tested (i.e. each combination of tank volume and
collector area) - and this has been too expensive and · participating in the Solar Keymark Network
time consuming for the manufacturers. meetings

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· participating in CEN TC312 meetings SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

· participating in CEN TC312 Work Group
meetings On an international market, common standards and
· communicating with CEN CMC and CEN CCB certification schemes plays an important role for a free
· editing updates of specific scheme rules market of quality products without technical trade
· promoting use of Solar Keymark to national barriers. This is seen in Europe where the common
authorities European Standards and the CEN Solar Keymark
· promoting use of Solar Keymark to industry scheme have played their role in developing a large and
The chairman of the Solar Keymark Network is open European market for quality solar collectors.
elected by the network - for the time being the
chairman is Dr. H. Drück from University of Stuttgart.
Germany and France have expressed a need for REFERENCES
a Keymark valid for custom built systems. However as
Keymark requires EN standards, and as there CEN, EN 16316-4-3 Heating systems in buildings –
at present are no EN standards for custom built systems Method for calculation of system energy
this is not possible for the time being. But it is expected requirements and system efficiencies– Part 4.3 Heat
that the present (draft) CEN/TS 12977 series of generation systems, thermal solar systems, 2007.
standards for custom built systems will develop into CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations: Part 4
real European standards within the next few years. Certification - The Keymark System,
More information about the Solar Keymark is CEN/CENELEC, 2006.
available at the: www.solarkeymark.org. (www.cenorm.be/BOSS/supporting/reference+docu
ments/ir4august2006.pdf).
European Commission, ANNEX IV on Eco-design
implementing measures for dedicated water
heaters”. Draft v2, EC, Brussels 16/9 2008.

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