Compliance Verification of Photovoltaic Solar Components: The Case of the Laboratory for Quality Control of Photovoltaic Solar Components (LCQS) in Senegal

Abstract

Africa is a region rich in natural resources but some of its regions are landlocked and the potential exists for significant regional trade. However, integration and trade in the region remains limited despite the efforts of regional institutions to encourage this integration. In general, the quality of goods traded and collected is rather low, import controls are too strict and trade procedures are dexterously cumbersome. Governments create the conditions and rules for the functioning of markets and private enterprises and ensure the well-being of communities and individuals. It is in this context of consumer protection that quality assurance is important. In the case of solar photovoltaic components, these checks are carried out by conformity tests carried out in a laboratory. Our compliance tests were carried out at the Laboratory for Quality Control of Solar photovoltaic components (LCQS) of the Centre for Renewable Energy Studies and Research (CERER) at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar (UCAD). The study of the modules focuses on the electrical performance characteristics in the case of short circuit current, open circuit voltage, form factor, maximum power, current and voltage (I-V) and voltage power (P-V). The study of the controllers concerns the efficiency of charge and discharge, here the average efficiency in charge is 96.45% and that in landfill is 96.11%.