The Hindu Business Line : German co to set up solar testing lab

The 136-year-old TUV Rheinland, global service provider for quality testing and certification, is set to establish its fourth testing laboratory facility focused on solar technologies in India.

“Our target is to set up the facility in India during 2009-10. We are doing the strategic planning for it,” said Mr Enrico Ruhle, Managing Director, TUV Rheinland India.

Currently, the German major has three global laboratories based in Cologne (Germany), Yokohama (Japan) and Shanghai (China). The fast growth and big potential in the solar photovoltaic sector in India is the key factor for the company to decide on setting up the facility in India, he told Business Line.

The company, which has a global revenue of over €1 billion, is witnessing a 12-15 per cent growth from India. Its India (headquarters in Bangalore and presence in 10 cities) revenues last year were Rs 18 crore (€3 million), Mr Ruhle, who was in Hyderabad recently told Business Line.

TUV Rheinland has a 75 per cent share in the global solar photovoltaic (SPV) standards and quality certification market. “In Asia, both in the booming markets of Japan and China, we are the dominant players,” he said.

The company provides services to quality certify both systems and products, that is, the entire life cycle from design to product to recycling, Mr Ruhle explained.

Referring to the Indian SPV sector, he said now it is driven by exports which constitute nearly 70 per cent. More than 40 companies have announced plans to manufacture solar products.

However, in the next two years, the domestic demand also would grow, especially in the grid-linked solar power, which should lead to an overall growth. TUV Rheinland would like to position itself well to take advantage of these developments, Mr Ruhle said.