The challenge
Ensuring the reliability of Australia’s solar energy future
Australia is experiencing a solar energy revolution. In 2024, 36% of Australia's total electricity generation was from renewable energy sources with solar representing 18% of this.
Yet, despite our abundant sunshine and growing reliance on solar power, Australia has limited infrastructure to verify the performance of imported solar photovoltaic (PV) modules. CSIRO's Solar PV Performance Laboratories are helping to close this gap—delivering trusted testing, research, and innovation to ensure solar panels perform as promised.
Solar PV modules are sold based on a label power rating, but real-world conditions—such as shipping, handling, extreme weather, and long-term exposure—can significantly affect performance. With almost no domestic solar manufacturing, Australia relies heavily on imported panels, where warranties are often difficult to enforce. Accurate, independent testing is essential to protect consumers, support industry quality control, and ensure value-for-money.
Our response
Solar testing facilities and collaboration
CSIRO operates three specialised solar PV measurement laboratories at its Energy Centre in Newcastle, NSW:
- Solar Cell Measurement Laboratory
Provides precise certification and analysis of individual solar cells at the R&D stage, supporting research at CSIRO, start-ups and other institutions around Australia. - Outdoor Module Testing Facility
Conducts testing of solar panels in the outdoor environment. This allows performance under real-world weather conditions to be linked to the label rating, and offers insights into long-term reliability and degradation. - Advanced Module Testing Laboratory
Home to the Wavelabs Sinus 3000 solar simulator—one of only three of its kind globally. This cutting-edge system uses spectrally-adjustable LED technology to replicate different solar conditions in the lab. Until recently this was only possible on very small cells at the R&D stage; now we can perform complex analysis of large commercial solar panels,including new technologies on the horizon like perovskite and multi-junction technologies.
Our solar cell measurements are accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) under the IEC17025 technical competency standard, ensuring internationally recognised quality and reliability.
CSIRO's solar scientists contribute strongly to both national and international PV standards committees. They collaborate with leading institutions such as the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and key European and Japanese organisations, focusing on solar module performance, indoor/outdoor testing, and shared research.
This global engagement ensures CSIRO remains at the forefront of solar technology and brings best practices back to Australia.
In addition to testing, CSIRO's Solar Technologies group works with industry and academia to develop cheaper, longer-lasting, and more environmentally sustainable solar cells. This includes research into advanced materials, module durability, and recycling readiness.
The results
Driving innovation and building trust in solar energy
To further support the solar industry, CSIRO is developing a portable solar module testing solution.
This innovation will allow performance assessments to be conducted directly at solar farms, reducing downtime and enabling faster diagnostics after extreme weather events, routine maintenance, or for establishing the re-use potential of un-installed solar panels.
By providing high-accuracy, independent testing of solar PV modules, CSIRO helps enforce a high Australian standard for solar performance. This protects consumers, supports industry growth, and ensures that Australia's transition to clean energy is built on reliable, high-quality technology.
CSIRO's Solar PV Performance Laboratories offer the expertise, infrastructure and collaborative approach to support researchers, installers, manufacturers on our solar journey.
Read more about how CSIRO measures decade of solar performance.