Inmetro: what can the suspension of solar panel certificates cause?

With the collaboration of Ericka Araújo

On Friday last week (31), the Inmetro (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology) suspended the certificates of some models of photovoltaic modules in Brazil.

The measure was taken after the products were inspected and failed by the agency in laboratory tests. With the suspension, the equipment could no longer be sold in national territory, including units in stock.

However, a question that arose in the market was: what should companies, professionals and consumers in the solar energy sector do with these products from now on? 

In response to Canal Solar, Inmetro clarified that the Ordinance no. 258 / 2020 determines that, when the registration of a product is suspended in the country, its marketing must be immediately interrupted. 

However, he stressed that products that were already sold before the suspension remain in force, unless otherwise determined in the future by the regulatory body.

Inmetro also pointed out that, with the suspension, suppliers must stop any and all advertising related to the equipment until the situation is regularized. 

Despite the sales ban, there is no immediate requirement to collect modules in stock, unless Inmetro determines this in the future. 

If such a requirement occurs, the responsibility for collection will fall to the holder of the product registration, who may be subject to sanctions, including fines, if they fail to comply with the determination.

Finally, the agency highlighted that the suspension of these specific modules does not prevent new penalties from being applied to other photovoltaic panels, if irregularities are identified in future inspections.

Consumidores

In the case of photovoltaic modules that are already in the possession of consumers, Inmetro reported that its activities are limited to inspecting products sold on the market.

However, he highlighted that, if a risk to consumer safety or rights is identified, the agency can contact Senacon (National Consumer Secretariat), which is responsible for acting in the defense of end consumers.

Furthermore, Inmetro highlighted that, as a common practice, manufacturers themselves can adopt voluntary measures to minimize the impact of product non-compliance. 

This may include repair, replacement or even recall programs, depending on the severity of the fault identified and the determinations of the competent bodies.

Inmetro also highlighted that if a consumer has purchased and installed a product which was the target of inspection and whose registration was suspended, he has the right to seek support from consumer protection agencies, such as Procon, to report the situation and receive guidance on appropriate measures.

“The consumer can also request a possible repair directly from the company that supplied the product, especially if there is an impact on the functionality, safety or compliance of the item purchased,” Inmetro reported. 

How it all began?

In November 2024, Inmetro announced the result of a unprecedented inspection action in the country, aimed at combating the presence of fake power modules in the solar energy sector.

The operation was motivated by complaints registered with the Inmetro ombudsman's office and covered the states of Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo and Goiás, with the aim of evaluating the quality and conformity of products available on the market.

The institute collected photovoltaic panels from different brands and subjected the samples to laboratory tests. 

During the inspection, products were identified that had significantly lower power than that declared by the manufacturer.

In light of the results, Inmetro announced that the inspection process for photovoltaic modules and other equipment, such as inverters, would be intensified throughout the country from 2025 onwards.  

If new non-conformities are identified, Inmetro said it may adopt new suspensions of registrations in the national market. 

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