FAQs

ICC-SWCC certifies small and medium wind turbine systems to the ACP 101-1, AWEA 9.1 and IEC 61400 standards, respectively.  Towers and foundations are outside the scope of the standards.  SWCC certification reports may provide tower and mounting information for the convenience of the user.  But this information has not been evaluated by SWCC and is provided from the turbine manufacturer.

No.  ICC-SWCC is accredited to certify wind turbines to the ACP 101-1, AWEA 9.1 and IEC 61400 standards for structural safety, durability, acoustics and power production.  Electrical safety for distributed wind turbines in North America is addressed in the UL 6142 standard.  Electrical listings may only be provided by Nationally Recognized Test Labs (NRTLs) per OSHA, for accredited standards.  Click here to access the list of NRTLs.  Note that not all NRTLs are accredited to provide listings for all standards.

When a manufacturer gets a product tested by a test laboratory, it’s a one-time activity.  The test lab will test samples of the product and check that they conform to the requirements of a standard or other specification. When it is completed, the manufacturer receives a test report that indicates whether the product complied with the requirements - at the time the testing was done. Having a product evaluated by a Certification Body (CB) goes much further. It involves evaluation of both the product itself AND the production (manufacturing) process to the requirements of a Certification Scheme. Certification Schemes are based on regional, national or international standards together with any other criteria deemed necessary by the scheme owner. Many times, the CB will utilize results of third-party testing by an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory as part of the product evaluation. Successful applicants for certification are usually granted a Certificate of Conformity and the right to use of a Certification Mark to apply to the product. The Certification Mark allows manufacturers to demonstrate that their product continues to meet the quality and safety standards required by the scheme. The differences are summarized below. Test Laboratory

• Tests product only
• Tests for conformity with any requirements, which could be the manufacturer’s own specification, product standard or other
• Issues a test report
• One-off process, no follow-up.
• Any subsequent changes to the product are not covered
• Accreditation to ISO 17025 for Testing Laboratories

Certification Body

• Evaluates both the product and production process
• Tests for compliance with the requirements outlined in a Certification Scheme which is based on national, regional or international standards, together with any other requirements deemed necessary by the Scheme Owner
• If successful, issues a Certificate of Conformity and grants permission to use a Certification Mark
• Ongoing process to demonstrate continued conformity with the scheme’s requirements
• Accreditation to ISO 17065 for Certification Bodies

ICC-SWCC does not conduct tests, but verifies and certifies test results submitted by approved, qualified third-party testing organizations. Applicants should obtain ICC-SWCC approval for the use of a testing facility before commencing work to ensure that the resulting test report can be used for ICC-SWCC certification.  Click here for more information on wind turbine testing for certification.

No, ICC-SWCC is not a Standard Development Organization (SDO).  The ACP 101-1 standard used for small wind turbines is developed by American Clean Power (ACP) under their ANSI-approved standard development procedures.  The IEC 61400 standards used for medium wind turbines are developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) under Technical Committee TC 88. Click here for more information on the standards ICC-SWCC utilizes in its certification programs. ICC-SWCC staff participates in technical committees for the ACP and IEC Standards. ICC-SWCC is working diligently with other wind certification programs in Europe, Asia and North America to minimize the differences between country-specific requirements.

Small wind turbines certified to the ACP 101-1 standard are required to provide the Reference Power in kilowatts (kW) in the certification and on a consumer label. This standardized performance rating is the wind turbine’s power output at 11 m/s (24.6 mph) per its certified power curve. Manufacturers may still describe or name their turbine using Nominal Power. Nominal Power is designated by the manufacturer for descriptive marketing purposes.

Wind turbine certifications are valid so long as the certification renewal conditions listed in the ICC-SWCC certification policies are met. Certification must be renewed annually.  Therefore, if the manufacturer goes out of business, the certification would not be renewed upon expiration and the certification would be withdrawn.  Alternately, if the manufacturer is purchased by another organization, the certification can be transfer to the new owner (provided no changes are made to the design).

Small Wind Turbine: Electricity-producing wind turbines with a swept area up to 150 kW are certified to the ACP 101-1 standard.  Legacy certifications to the preceding AWEA 9.1 standard are provided for turbines up to 200 m2 swept area. Medium Wind Turbine: Electricity-producing wind turbines with peak power production from 150 to 300 kW are certified to one or more of the following standards: IEC 61400-12-1 (Power Performance), IEC 61400-11 (Acoustic Performance), and/or IEC 61400-1 (Design).