The Solar Keymark

Why becoming a Solar Keymark inspector?

The Solar Keymark is: 

What is solar Keymark inspection?

The periodic surveillance of the manufacturers quality management system and of the stable production conditions is a requirement for the SK certification. This inspection is performed by qualified inspectors recognized by the certification bodies, including also freelance inspectors which are not directly linked to a certification body.

How to become a Solar Keymark Inspection Body?

In case you have any questions regarding the process to become a recognized inspection body, please contact the Solar Keymark Manager or the Solar Keymark Chairman.

How to join the Solar Keymark Network?

The inspectors associated with a certification body and all the freelance inspectors are automatically added to the Solar Keymark Network Members. 

The Origins of the Solar Keymark

In the 1990s the solar thermal market in Europe started to grow considerably, in part due to financial support programs in various countries. The European market grew quickly from 250.000 kWth to over 800.000 kWth of newly installed capacity per year.

Many companies started exporting their products into other European markets but found hurdles in the form of different requirements in the incentive programmes, that  became an obstacle to market entry.

As a result, if a company wanted to sell one collector to different countries in Europe, it had to undergo several different tests and gain additional certificates and approvals.

This process was extremely complicated, expensive and cumbersome and hindered the development of solar thermal in Europe and the growth of solar thermal manufacturers.

In 2003 the European Solar Thermal Industry and major testing institutes formulated the Solar Keymark Scheme rules as a unified and simple solution in order to get solar thermal products recognised all over Europe.

This work was done on the framework of an EU co-financed project running from 2000 until 2003: Solar Keymark I (ALTENER - Solar Keymark - AL/2000/144).

This work was followed up by Solar Keymark II(EU-IEE (Solar Keymark II - EIE/05/052/SI2.420194).

After these two project the Solar Keymark was the most successful Keymark scheme and more than two thirds of the collectors sold had Solar Keymark. Testing, inspection and certification were now organized into a single streamlined process and was recognised by authorities all over Europe.

Solar Keymark Network

Compositon of the SKN

Members of the SKN

The Solar Keymark Network is the operative framework around Solar Keymark. It consist of the Solar Keymark operators (certification bodies, test labs and inspectors) and industry representatives.

Tasks of the SKN

The tasks of the network are:

• to maintain and continuously improve the Solar Keymark scheme rules and procedures;
• harmonise practical procedures;
• exchange experience amongst operators;
• exchange information between industry and operators;
• arrange comparative testing "Round Robin" amongst test labs;
• inform about Solar Keymark;
• list certified products;
• list empowered and accredited operators

Financing the SKN

Until 2010 the network was financed by:

• The Solar Keymark operators themselves;
• The European Commission (ALTENER & IEE projects);
• The European Solar Thermal Industry federation, ESTIF - now Solar Heat Europe/ESTIF.
  
  

The activities of the Solar Keymark Network are now financed by "Solar Keymark Licence fees". Though, the members of the SKN finance their own involvement in the Network.

European Map of Support Schemes

This map is a Solar KEYMARK initiative. The elements indicated in this European Map of Support Schemes are based on the contribution provided by the Solar Keymark Members.

Don't hesitate to let us know if you have any additional subsidies country information to share with us or if you would like to modify any elements in this map:

- Contact us at info@solarheateurope.eu

- Or fill in the following form: https://goo.gl/forms/lM01UOHP3

Fifith call deliverables

Test

SCF First Call - Deliverables