Validation and benchmarking of broadband- and spectralradiometers : summary of the 2016 activities of external comparison for performance quality-control

The JRC works together with policy makers, industry and the research community to monitor the progress of photovoltaic technology and help develop the solutions for the future. This directly supports the European Union's objective of attaining an increasing share of renewable energies in the market (20% in 2020 and at least 27% in 2030). Its European reference laboratory, ESTI, validates electrical performance and lifetime of PV devices based on emerging technologies. Benchmarking, intercomparisons and proficiency tests have a crucial role to play in maintaining and improving the measurement techniques for solar irradiance and to promote transfer knowledge to the European research community. In 2016 the performance based quality check approach on absolute spectral irradiance and broadband radiometry showed consistency of the ESTI primary reference instruments with other primary instruments from Metrological Institutes like NREL (USA), PTB (DE) and PMOD (CH). It is recommended that the laboratory continues to participate in annual inter-comparisons and proficiency tests.