ABSTRACT
Until only a few years ago, the discussion on photovoltaics for rural electrification was dominated by pilot and demonstration systems, which were financed by bilateral or multilateral co-operation. Today, the situation has changed fundamentally: Many countries have launched major programmes on rural electrification which are explicitly based on photovoltaic systems, e.g. Morocco, Indonesia, India, China or Argentina. The involvement of national and international investors such as the World Bank, oil concerns, electric utilities, banks and insurance companies has grown parallel to this development. Expected returns, risk minimisation, permanent energy services and infrastructure development are the topics which dominate the current discussion. Due to our interdisciplinary approach, which combines technical expertise with sociological and economic competence, we are able to support this market development in many different ways. The quality of photovoltaic systems and their components is a decisive factor for their sustainable dissemination. The market development can only be successful in the long term if investors gain confidence in the capabilities of this new technology. Definition of national and international standards, establishment of local expert centres, building up infrastructure for installation, maintenance and operation of systems, production quality control and authorisation measurement procedures on site - all these are aspects contributing to quality assurance.
