Solar Cells Info

The Monitor (Kampala)
Dorothy Nakaweesi, Kampala/ 5 May 2007

THE Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has drafted a set of standards for solar panels and equipment.  The standards were developed with a grant of Shs200 million from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU).  Speaking at the launch of the standards in Kampala recently, UNBS Executive Director Terry Kahuma said the issue of fake and shoddy solar equipment on the market had been a major challenge to the standards body.  “The formulation and implementation of the solar standards will go along way in protecting the consumers and helping dealers’ businesses to grow,” he said.

The State Minister for Industry, Prof Ephraim Kamuntu was the chief guest.  He said to compete internationally access to cheap energy was a must.  “This can only be done if the country explores the abundant resource of solar energy which is renewable,” he said.

According to the Acting Head of the Engineering Laboratory at UNBS, Mr John Okumu, at least 40 solar standards have been developed but the basic ones are four.  These include basic standards that deal with the definition of symbols, units and terminologies, and specifications that give details of the solar batteries ranging from size, performance, sockets and how it can be tested.

Others include the Code of Practice (COP) standards that provide users with recommended procedures to be followed in handling the equipment, and testing methods among others. He said UNBS would work with all stakeholders to ensure that the standards are implemented and complied with.