Self-consumption has become one of the fundamental pillars for the energy transition. Since the Royal-Decree Law 15/18 and later, the Royal Decree 244/2019, an exponential growth in self-consumption is taking place. In 2020, 596 MW of new capacity were installed for self-consumption, which represents a growth of 30% in a year during the Covid-19 pandemic. These values are still growing, arriving in 2021 with more than 1,200 MW of new photovoltaic power in self-consumption, an increase of 101,84% compared to 2020.
However, there are still some barriers which slow down the installation of self-consumption facilities, related to very long and unequal heterogeneous administrative procedures between regions, difficulties when implementing collective self-consumption and even the quality of self-consumption installations themselves.
For self-consumption to become the main pillar in the energy transition, this sector will need to assure an organised growth through the quality of the installations, with adequate electrical installers and technicians and audits for self-consumption installing companies.
With this objective in mind and following the decision of UNEF’s Working Group for Self-consumption, the Association has developed its own certification system for companies which install photovoltaic systems for self-consumption.
The quality certification system had the main support from two certification partners, CERE and SGS. Recently, PI Berlin has joined the system as well.
SGS is a world leader in inspection, verification, testing and certification. It is considered the main world reference in quality and integrity and they have more than 89,000 employees and a network of more than 2,600 offices and laboratories throughout the world. Its services are divided into four main categories: inspection, testing, verification and certification.
CERE is an independent testing, simulation, certification and inspection entity that was established as a Certifying Entity for Renewable Energies in 2015. Its services range from technical evaluations, inspection, simulation tests and certification according to safety standards, network quality, network connection requirements, design requirements and certificates for installations and components.
PI Berlin is a leading company for technical advice, risk management and quality assurance for photovoltaic plants and equipment. With its experienced team of researchers, scientists, and engineers, PI Berlin offers a wide range of services from design, engineering, field and laboratory testing, manufacturer audits, and contract review. PI Berlin has been active in the international PV market since its foundation in 2006 in Berlin, and today has 3 accredited laboratories in operation and 90 employees on staff.
It is intended for companies and installers who work with self-consumption installations in the Spanish territory. The certification will support their technical capacity and good practices in the design and execution of the facilities.
Any company in the sector can request the UNEF Quality Certification, associated non-associated companies of UNEF.
Application process
Certification fees (course and audit) can be found below..
Maintaining the certification
Once the certificate has been obtained, the installation company will receive an audit every year in order to maintain the certificate. The first year of follow-up an audit will be carried out in a facility. The following year the audit will be carried out in the company. The audits will be successively alternated each year, one year in installation and the following year in company.
Monitoring and improvement of the certification system
The objective of the Committee is to support UNEF in its mandate to ensure the proper functioning of the certification system and, among other activities, it will propose changes to the certification rules. The Committee will be made up of those companies/entities that show an interest in participating in it, ensuring the best practices in the self-consumption sector and the proper implementation of the certification system at the national level.
This committee will meet annually.
To get the Certificacion, you should download all documents listed before, fill them and send them via e-mail to UNEF.
