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Useful information sources on the internet

If you want to learn more about SOLAR KEYMARK and the SOLAR KEYMARK Network and its activities, go to our website at www.solarkeymark.org

What can you find on this website?

 Beside general information (similar to what you can read in the newsletter n°0) and important news, the website contains:

• The SOLAR KEYMARK Scheme Rules: In this document you can read what can be certified and how. For example, what manufacturers have to do in order to obtain the KEYMARK;

• Annexes to the Scheme Rules: Currently, there are more than twenty valid annexes to the Scheme Rules. They give specific instructions how to perform the certification, some of them contain templates of important documents (e.g. Product Data Sheet or Inspection Report). It is not necessary to read all of them (as some of them are focusing on particular product categories). If you are interested in the certification, do not forget to get acquainted with Annexe C (SOLAR KEYMARK fees, i.e. what you will pay for the licencebeside the testing and certification costs) and Annex E (Factory production control, i.e. what is to be inspected in the manufacturing plant).

• List of all certified products: This database enables sorting and searching. Each certificate contains the data about the certification (product name, manufacturer’s name and address, certification body, validity date) and also the relevant Product Data Sheet. As you know, the data from these Data Sheets allow the comparison between the products and their performances in various conditions.

• List of all empowered certification bodies, approved testing laboratories and inspectors: If you want a certificate, you either can address a testing lab and then apply for the certification the relevant certification body, or you can deal directly with the certification body (and they can order the tests). Furthermore, a list of accredited inspectors is also displayed on the website.

• SOLAR KEYMARK brochures: These brochures recapitulate on ten pages important information for the customers and manufacturers. They are available in English, Spanish, French, Portugese, Italian, Croatian, Slovak, Macedonian, Mandarin Chinese and Turkish.

On Solar Heat Europe ESTIF’s website, you will be able to find useful information on the solar thermal sector in Europe. Indeed, the organisation is the solar thermal trade association in Europe, dealing with utilizing the solar energy for thermal applications in general (i.e. not only KEYMARKed products) and advocating for a better recognition of the sector towards European Institution. The website contains lots of information (marketing statistics, technical information, etc), partly available only for members. After all, you can join them – Solar Heat Europe ESTIF is open for companies and institutions as well as for physical persons.

ISES (the International Solar Energy Society) is the largest international solar organization, with extensive membership worldwide.  ISES has members in more than 110 countries, and contacts and partners in over 50 countries with thousands of associate members, and almost 100 company & institutional members throughout the world.  Young ISES, a network of students and young professional ISES members, is now connecting young solar professionals worldwide.

For over 60 years the members of ISES have undertaken the product research that has helped the renewable energy industry to grow. ISES has a track record of strongly supporting the solar industry, helping shape public opinion through education and outreach activities and providing informed comment on global issues. See www.ises.org. – You can become a member of ISES itself or one of its national branches.

The SOLAR KEYMARK is only one of KEYMARK certification schemes. „KEYMARK“ is a common name for European voluntary quality marks. The concept is owned by CEN (European Agency for Standards) and administered by DIN CERTCO. Beside the solar thermal collectors, the KEYMARK can also be applied for heat pumps, thermal insulation, and some other product groups, mostly tied with energy savings. You can find the complete information about the other KEYMARKs at https://keymark.eu/en/).

Finally, if you want to get deeper into the technical side of the solar thermal energy, there are piles of books and articles about this topic. They deal with theoretical affairs as well as with very practical applications. Just visit the nearest technical library or a net portal – e.g. the www.sciencedirect.com.