This International Standard lays down requirements for the design qualification and type approval of terrestrial, thin-film photovoltaic modules suitable for long-term operation in general open-air climates as defined in IEC 60721-2-1. This standard is intended to apply to all terrestrial flat plate module materials not covered by IEC 61215.
The test sequence is derived from IEC 61215 for the design qualification and type approval of terrestrial crystalline silicon PV modules. However, it no longer relies on meeting a plus/minus
criterion before and after each test, but rather on meeting a specified percentage of the rated minimum power after all of the tests have been completed and the modules have been lightsoaked.
This eliminates the technology-specific preconditioning necessary to accurately measure the changes caused by the test.
This standard does not apply to modules used with concentrators.
The object of this test sequence is to determine the electrical and thermal characteristics of the module and to show, as far as possible within reasonable constraints of cost and time, that the module is capable of withstanding prolonged exposure in climates described in the scope. The actual life expectancy of modules so qualified will depend on their design, their environment and the conditions under which they are operated.
BS EN 61646:2008 Referenced Document
IEC 60410 Sampling plans and procedures for inspection by attributes
IEC 60721-2-1 Classification of environmental conditions - Part 2-1: Environmental conditions appearing in nature - Temperature and humidity*， 2013-06-01 Update
IEC 60891 Photovoltaic devices - Procedures for temperature and irradiance corrections to measured I-V characteristics*， 2021-10-27 Update
IEC 60904-2 Photovoltaic devices - Part 2: Requirements for photovoltaic reference devices*， 2023-06-19 Update
IEC 60904-3 Photovoltaic devices - Part 3: Measurement principles for terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) solar devices with reference spectral irradiance data*， 2019-02-15 Update
IEC 60904-7 Photovoltaic devices - Part 7: Computation of the spectral mismatch correction for measurements of photovoltaic devices*， 2019-08-20 Update
IEC 60904-9 Photovoltaic devices - Part 9: Solar simulator performance requirements*， 2020-09-18 Update
IEC 61215 Crystalline silicon terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval
ISO/IEC 17025 General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories [Standard in French]*， 2017-11-01 Update
BS EN 61646:2008 history
2017BS EN 61215-1-4:2017 Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules. Design qualification and type approval. Special requirements for testing of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 based photovoltaic (PV) modules
2009BS EN 61646:2008 Thin-film terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval
1997BS EN 61646:1997 Thin-film terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval