Madrid, 28 August 2013. – Enertis Solar (www.enertis.es) has signed an agreement with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU, www.nmmu.ac.za) in South Africa for the testing of solar photovoltaic modules at the NMMU’s facilities. Enertis has experience and technical know-how accumulated while providing testing, engineering and advisory services to PV projects totaling over 2,000 MW worldwide. The NMMU has expertise accumulated over years of research on PV modules and related components, and has facilities for testing at its campus in Port Elizabeth.  With the South African government’s new drive to promote and implement renewable energy projects, the solar photovoltaic market is one of the industries with highest growth potential in the country. South Africa has a solar irradiation ranging from 1,700 kWh/m2 to 2,300 kWh/m2, ranking among the top countries in the world in terms of expected solar energy production.
The agreement signed between Enertis Solar and the NMMU will enable Enertis Solar to provide clients with quality control services for PV modules to identify performance issues in the most crucial components of a PV plant.  Tests will be done by the NMMU according to IEC standards as well as other accredited testing procedures. This will ensure proper PV plant function functioning and anticipation and prevention of any potential issues affecting the plant energy yields, thereby improving plant efficiency.
The collaboration will go beyond testing services and will include sharing of technical know-how and training of university staff and students on testing practices for the solar photovoltaic market.
Enertis Solar makes another addition to its services portfolio in order to help customers secure their solar investments. To date, Enertis Solar has provided technical due diligence on three solar photovoltaic plants in South Africa, totaling 100 MW. This agreement will bring Enertis Solar and the NMMU together to provide the renewable energy industry with a crucial and essential service.
 
About Enertis Solar:
Enertis Solar Group (www.enertis.es) is an independent firm specializing in consulting, technical services and engineering, providing high added value services to the Solar Photovoltaic Energy Sector. Since its establishment in 2006, Enertis Solar has offered expert advice to different players in the sector (developers, investors, lenders, and renewable energy funds through consultancy). Enertis Solar has also assisted in the development of projects by providing Engineering services.
With headquarters in Spain and offices in Italy, Chile and U.S.A, Enertis Solar alsocarries out its corporate activity in other countries like South Africa, United Kingdom, France, Peru, Ecuador, Australia, Mexico and China, with a total portfolio of Solar PV Projects of more than 2,000 MW.
 
About Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University:
The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University is a publicly funded higher education institution in South Africa, offering degree and diploma programmes across a range of fields.  Through its Centre for Energy Research (CER), the NMMU has been conducting PV module and systems characterization at its indoor and outdoor research facilities in the Department of Physics since 1995.  In addition to graduate student research, the CER also provides technology support in the areas of testing and verification of component specification using standardized and novel techniques, development of testing techniques, and product and prototype development and testing.
 
More information:
 Irene Maeso Martínez
imaeso@kreabgavinanderson.com
Tel.+34- 917027170-649005605
Cristina García Gómez
cgarcia@kreabgavinanderson.com
Tel. +34-917027170-666131637
Prof. Ernest van Dyk
ernest.vandyk@nmmu.ac.za