New TISI & ICC Regulations Take Effect: A Critical Decision Window for Southeast Asian Solar Procurement

1.1 The Fundamental Shift of Southeast Asian Solar Market in 2026: Compliance Becomes the No.1 Procurement Threshold

1.1.1 Distributed Solar Demand Expands Rapidly While Regulatory Supervision Tightens Across the Region

1.1.1.1 Residential and Commercial Distributed Solar Drives Regional Growth

1.1.1.1.1 National Energy Policies Boost Domestic Installation Demand

1.1.1.1.1.1 Inherent Growth Drivers of Thailand and Philippine Solar Markets

Southeast Asian countries have continuously launched medium and long-term renewable energy development plans. Thailand’s official policy targets raising the proportion of renewable energy to over 30% by 2030, while the Philippines’ energy roadmap aims for a cumulative solar installed capacity of 20GW by the same year. Driven by rising electricity prices and growing demand for energy independence, rooftop solar systems for residential and commercial buildings have become the core growth track for photovoltaic installations in both countries. Continuous inquiries and finalized orders from local distributors and EPC contractors have kept China’s solar module exports to Southeast Asia at a high level.

Compared with the market logic of volume-oriented and low-price competition from 2024 to 2025, the intensive implementation of two national mandatory certification regulations—Thailand TISI and Philippines BPS-ICC—starting from the second half of 2026 has completely rewritten the rules for solar import procurement in Southeast Asia. The loose era when importers could clear customs merely with general TÜV and IEC test reports has officially ended, and country-specific mandatory certifications have evolved from a competitive advantage to a rigid market access bottom line.

1.1.1.1.2 Market Contradiction: Strong Demand Coexists with Insufficient Compliant Supply

Currently, end-market demand in Southeast Asia remains robust, yet mass-produced solar modules with complete TISI and ICC compliance qualifications are in relative short supply. The full certification cycle for national-level photovoltaic qualifications generally lasts 3 to 6 months. Coupled with concentrated applications, test scheduling congestion and delayed factory audits in 2026, most small and medium-sized solar manufacturers have not completed full country-specific certification. A prominent structural market contradiction has emerged: sufficient end inquiries and project reserves, but limited high-capacity suppliers with stable compliant supply. This places Southeast Asian importers in a dilemma: blind procurement faces compliance risks, while conservative wait-and-see strategies will miss the Q4 project window.

1.1.1.2 Market Space for Low-price Uncertified Products Continues to Shrink Under Policy Supervision

1.1.1.2.1 Low Price Does Not Equal High Comprehensive Profit, as Hidden Trade Risks Are Widely Underestimated

Most small and medium-sized Southeast Asian importers have long taken FOB unit price as the core procurement decision-making indicator and tended to prioritize low-cost supplies. However, under the 2026 new regulatory system, low-price products without valid country-specific certifications carry extremely high hidden risks despite lower upfront procurement costs. Port detention fees, container rental charges, round-trip freight fees, customs liquidated damages and project delay compensation arising from customs detention and return can far exceed the cost savings from low-price purchases.

1.1.1.2.1.1 Review of Typical Pitfall Cases Among Southeast Asian Importers

According to public feedback from the foreign trade industry, multiple Philippine importers have suffered six-figure US dollar-level comprehensive losses after full container loads of solar modules were detained at Manila ports and eventually returned due to missing ICC clearance labels. Similarly, several shipments to Thailand have been detained for failing TISI marking requirements, causing project delays and forcing local EPCs to pay compensation to end clients. These cases fully prove that compliance has completely replaced low price as the top priority in current Southeast Asian solar procurement.

1.1.2 Core Differences Between General International Test Reports and Country-Specific Mandatory Certifications

1.1.2.1 IEC and TÜV Reports Are Basic Qualifications and Cannot Replace Thailand TISI and Philippines ICC Certifications

1.1.2.1.1 Binding Rules of Certifications: The Most Common Industry Misunderstanding

A widespread misconception prevails in the industry: many buyers assume that IEC61215 and IEC61730 standard reports plus TÜV third-party test certificates are sufficient for Southeast Asian customs clearance. In fact, general international test reports only verify that sampled products pass laboratory performance tests and serve as basic global qualifications. In contrast, Thailand TISI and Philippines ICC are national-level market access licenses, strictly bound to specific production factories, production line BOM lists, fixed power ranges and local certificate holders. Certifications cannot be shared, borrowed or applied across different factories, power ranges or material configurations.

1.1.2.1.1.1 How to Identify Misleading Supplier Sales Tactics

The market is flooded with misleading qualification claims. Some suppliers only submit certification applications and remain in the pending review stage but falsely claim full TISI and ICC qualifications. Some manufacturers only hold certifications for low-power modules, which cannot cover the mainstream 630–680W high-power modules popular in Southeast Asia. Certain certificates are bound to old production lines and exclude newly launched capacities. Importers must verify official certification documents and match factory information and power coverage before placing orders, rather than trusting promotional claims blindly.

1.2 Core Rules and Practical Impacts of Thailand’s New TISI Mandatory Certification Policy

1.2.1 TISI Regulation Implementation Timeline and Regulated Product List

1.2.1.1 Solar Modules to Enter Mandatory Implementation Phase from September to October 2026

1.2.1.1.1 Supporting PV Products Included in Mandatory Supervision

Thailand Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) has updated renewable energy product access regulations, including six core categories in the mandatory certification catalogue: solar modules, PV inverters, energy storage lithium batteries, PV DC circuit breakers, fuses and dedicated PV cables. Solar modules are scheduled to enter the mandatory implementation stage from September to October 2026. Uncertified products will be prohibited from import, domestic sales and grid connection approval.

Additionally, the TISI system stipulates that overseas manufacturers cannot directly hold TISI certificates. Only locally registered compliant Thai enterprises can serve as certificate applicants. Qualified production factories must obtain ISO9001 certification and pass official on-site factory audits to acquire formal qualifications. For groups with multiple production bases, each factory requires independent auditing and certification, with no cross-factory certificate validity.

1.2.1.1.1.1 Supply Constraints Brought by On-Site Factory Audits

Official TISI factory audits comprehensively inspect incoming material quality inspection, production process control, finished product testing, material traceability and factory sampling systems. Concentrated industry applications in 2026 have caused audit scheduling shortages, leaving numerous factories pending on-site reviews. This has directly led to tight supply of TISI-compliant solar modules in Thailand and gradually formed a premium for qualified compliant products.

1.2.2 Four Practical Challenges Brought by TISI Implementation for Thai Solar Importers

1.2.2.1 Long Certification Cycle Makes Emergency Supplementary Certification Impossible

1.2.2.1.1 Procurement Planning Requires 3–6 Months Advance Compliance Arrangement

The complete TISI certification process covers sample testing, document review, on-site factory audit and final approval, with a fixed cycle of 3 to 6 months with no emergency expedited channels. This means importers cannot source compliant supplies temporarily after receiving end orders. It is essential to lock in fully certified manufacturers and capacities in advance to avoid the dilemma of “valid orders but no compliant goods or customs detention after shipment”.

1.2.2.2 Certificates Are Bound to Local Importers, Reseller Replacement Requires Certificate Modification

1.2.2.2.1 Entity Changes Incur Additional Time and Capital Costs

TISI certificate holders are strictly limited to locally registered Thai enterprises. Replacing cooperative suppliers or import entities requires certificate transfer, re-filing or re-application, with no validity for original certifications. Many small and medium-sized traders overlook this rule, resulting in finished products unable to be marked for customs clearance due to inconsistent certificate entities, causing large-scale shipment detention losses.

1.2.2.3 TISI Mark Must Be Printed on Module Nameplates; Post-Shipping Marking Is Not Accepted

1.2.2.3.1 Complete Nameplate Compliance Verification Required Before Shipment

Thai customs clearance inspections take module nameplate markings as the core verification basis. Outer carton labels or post-arrival supplementary markings are not recognized by official authorities. While leading manufacturers have completed nameplate upgrades for TISI compliance, most small and medium-sized factories have not finished marking renovations, resulting in invalid certifications even with formal certificates—a top cause of customs clearance failures for Thai imports.

1.2.2.4 Compliance Costs Drive Market Price Stratification

1.2.2.4.1 Distinguish Between Certification Premium and Actual Product Cost Gap

Complete TISI qualification involves testing fees, audit fees, annual supervision fees and production line adaptation costs, which are reasonably transmitted to terminal quotations. The Thai market now shows obvious price stratification: fully certified compliant modules maintain stable pricing, while uncertified low-price products are gradually phased out. Importers need to rationally distinguish between price gaps and risk gaps, avoiding huge compliance risks for short-term cost savings.

1.3 Interpretation of Philippines BPS-ICC New Rules: Hard Constraints for Import Customs Clearance

1.3.1 Core Mechanisms of the ICC Import Commodity Clearance System

1.3.1.1 ICC Clearance Permit Is Mandatory for Every Import Batch

1.3.1.1.1 PNS Philippine National Standards as the Core Technical Basis

The Philippines Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) has strengthened supervision over the ICC (Import Commodity Clearance) system, listing solar modules as mandatory supervised products. All imported solar modules must comply with PNS standards equivalent to IEC61215 and IEC61730. Each shipment requires an independent ICC clearance permit with compliant markings on module bodies. Shipments without valid batch ICC permits will face customs confiscation or return, and non-compliant products already on the market will be officially recalled.

1.3.1.1.1.1 Key Differences Between ICC and TISI

Thailand TISI is a long-term valid certificate bound to product models and factories, while Philippines ICC is a batch-specific clearance document. Even with completed BPS model registration, every new batch or container shipment requires separate ICC approval. This unique batch-based supervision mechanism is the most easily overlooked rule for new Philippine market buyers.

1.3.2 Common Certification Misunderstandings in Philippine Solar Procurement

1.3.2.1 Confusing Product Registration with Batch ICC Clearance Permits

1.3.2.1.1 Product Registration Does Not Support Unlimited Batch Clearance

Some suppliers only complete BPS product model registration but lack batch ICC application capabilities, yet falsely inform clients of unrestricted customs clearance eligibility. In fact, model registration only verifies product standard compliance and cannot replace independent batch import clearance permits. Importers must confirm with suppliers that valid ICC documents corresponding to specific container numbers and batches can be provided for every shipment.

1.3.2.2 Ignoring Physical Marking Requirements and Relying Solely on Paper Documents

1.3.2.2.1 Physical Mark Inspection Is the Top Customs Verification Priority

Philippine customs inspection priority follows: physical nameplate markings > batch clearance documents > third-party test reports. Products with only electronic or paper test reports but no valid PNS markings on module bodies will be judged non-compliant and denied customs clearance.

1.4 Certification Risk Reminders for Other Southeast Asian Markets Beyond TISI and ICC

1.4.1 Indonesia SNI Mandatory Certification Requirements

1.4.1.1 SNI Certificates Are Factory-Bound with Mandatory Local Testing and Audits

Indonesia’s BSN authority mandates SNI national certification for imported solar modules, requiring local sampling testing and official factory audits. Certificates are strictly bound to production factories with no cross-factory validity. Additionally, Indonesian government projects require compliance with TKDN local content assessment standards. Products without SNI certification are prohibited from entering the Indonesian market and cannot participate in government procurement or large-scale commercial and industrial projects.

1.4.2 Practical Guidelines for Malaysia SIRIM and Vietnam QCVN Filing

1.4.2.1 SIRIM Certificates Require Annual Supervision Audits

Malaysia’s SIRIM mandatory certification implements an annual supervision audit system. Certificates will automatically expire without annual reviews, directly affecting customs clearance. The Vietnamese market requires QCVN national standard filing, official DoC declaration of conformity and CR markings on module nameplates for legal import and sales. Overall, all Southeast Asian countries have entered a new era of strict certification supervision and high market access thresholds.

1.5 Tropical Climate Adaptation: Solar Module Selection Cannot Rely Solely on Laboratory Parameters

1.5.1 Four Core Environmental Challenges Facing Solar Modules in Southeast Asian Tropical Conditions

1.5.1.1 Persistent High Temperatures Cause Severe Module Power Degradation Risks

1.5.1.1.1 Temperature Coefficient Directly Determines On-Site Power Generation Performance

Southeast Asia features tropical and subtropical climates with annual ambient temperatures steadily ranging from 30 to 38℃, and module operating temperatures can exceed 60℃ in open-air environments. Traditional P-type PERC modules suffer significant power attenuation and efficiency decline under high-temperature conditions. N-type TOPCon and BC back-contact modules deliver superior temperature coefficients, lower high-temperature degradation and stronger operational stability, achieving remarkably higher power generation returns in actual Southeast Asian operation scenarios.

1.5.1.1.1.1 Distinguish Between Standard Laboratory Temperature Coefficients and On-Site Practical Performance

The temperature coefficient values marked on product datasheets are obtained under standard laboratory conditions and cannot fully represent real tropical operational performance. For Southeast Asian project selection, priority should be given to N-type modules with complete PVEL reliability test verification and long-term tropical field validation to avoid inconsistent performance between theoretical parameters and actual on-site operation.

1.5.1.2 High Humidity and Salt Spray Corrosion Challenge Module Encapsulation and Frame Reliability

1.5.1.2.1 Reference Value of DH Damp Heat and MSS Salt Spray Tests

Coastal Southeast Asia features high salt spray concentration and year-round rainy seasons with persistent high humidity, easily causing backboard aging, frame corrosion, lamination delamination and junction box failures. Double-glass modules with backboard-free full-glass encapsulation boast excellent resistance to damp heat and salt corrosion. Modules passing DH2000 long-term damp heat tests and Level 6 MSS salt spray tests are highly suitable for harsh working conditions in southern Thailand, coastal Philippines and southern Vietnam, with continuously rising market penetration.

1.5.1.3 Frequent Typhoons Make Mechanical Load Capacity Critical for Project Safety

1.5.1.3.1 Wind Pressure Selection Standards for Coastal Philippine and Vietnamese Projects

Coastal areas of the Philippines and central Vietnam are typhoon-prone regions with frequent strong winds and rain during flood seasons. For residential rooftop distributed projects, priority should be given to reinforced modules with mechanical load capacities of 5400Pa front pressure and 2400Pa back pressure, paired with high-strength aluminum alloy frames. This effectively reduces risks of module micro-cracks, deformation and damage during typhoons, ensuring long-term project operational safety.

1.5.1.4 Cloudy and Weak Light Conditions in Rainy Seasons Affect Annual Power Generation Returns

1.5.1.4.1 Advantages of BC Back-Contact Modules in Weak Light and Partial Shading Scenarios

Southeast Asia has frequent cloudy weather in rainy seasons with high scattered light ratio, and urban residential rooftops commonly suffer shading from trees and buildings. BC back-contact modules eliminate front metal grid shading, delivering better weak-light response and superior hot-spot resistance with far higher operational stability under partial shading conditions. In contrast, TOPCon modules feature mature supply chains and stable cost performance, ideal for unobstructed large-scale industrial and commercial rooftops and ground power stations, forming precise scenario complementarity with BC products.

1.5.2 Product Positioning of N-Type Technologies in the Southeast Asian Market

1.5.2.1 TOPCon Modules: Core Volume Product for Southeast Asian Distribution Markets

1.5.2.1.1 Mature Supply Chain and Complete Certifications Adapt to Most Project Scenarios

N-type module penetration in Southeast Asia continues to rise in 2026. As the most mature mass-produced N-type technology, TOPCon features stable supply chains, sufficient production capacity and complete country-specific certifications. The mainstream 630–680W power range fits local market circulation standards with convenient spare part replacement and after-sales maintenance, making it the core bulk stocking product for distributors covering full-scenario projects.

1.5.2.2 0BB-BC Back-Contact Modules: High-End Differentiated Products for Value-Added Distributed Projects

1.5.2.2.1 Ideal for High-Temperature and Shaded High-End Rooftop Projects, Not for Blind Large-Scale Stocking

0BB silver-free BC back-contact modules show prominent advantages in high-temperature, weak-light and shaded complex working conditions, targeting high-end residential and commercial rooftop projects to help EPCs and distributors build differentiated profit margins. With continuous commissioning of industrial BC upgrade capacities, the price gap between BC and TOPCon modules will gradually narrow. It is suitable for small-batch proportional stocking as a high-end product supplement rather than blind large-scale locking and inventory accumulation.

1.6 Critical Knowledge for Southeast Asian Importers: FOB Price Does Not Equal Full Landed Cost

1.6.1 Breakdown of Core Components of Full Landed Cost

1.6.1.1 Goods Value, Ocean Freight, Terminal and Customs Clearance Fees

1.6.1.1.1 Practical Tariff Reduction Value of RCEP Certificates of Origin

The real operating cost of solar import trade is not a single FOB unit price but the complete landed cost, including FOB goods value, international ocean freight, terminal THC operation fees, customs brokerage fees, import tariffs and transportation insurance fees. Meanwhile, valid RCEP certificates of origin enable Southeast Asian importers to enjoy ASEAN regional tariff reduction policies, further reducing comprehensive procurement costs as an indispensable core document for B端 procurement.

1.6.1.2 Hidden Risk Costs: Customs Detention, Return Shipment and After-Sales Compensation Losses

1.6.1.2.1 Calculation Logic of Hidden Risks from Uncertified Supplies

In the current strict compliance supervision era, hidden risks caused by certification non-compliance are the biggest variable in Southeast Asian procurement. Container rental fees, terminal storage fees, round-trip return freight, client liquidated damages for project delays and brand reputation losses arising from customs detention are all borne solely by importers. Compared with reasonable price gaps of compliant products, these uncontrollable risk losses constitute the core trap of low-price uncertified supplies.

1.7 Warranty and After-Sales System: Indispensable Procurement Conditions for Southeast Asian Markets

1.7.1 Practical Dilemmas of Local After-Sales Services in Southeast Asia

1.7.1.1 Damaged Modules Are Practically Unreturnable for China Repair

1.7.1.1.1 Compensation and Replacement Mechanisms Must Be Confirmed in Writing During Contract Signing

Southeast Asia lacks mature third-party solar module repair factories. For modules suffering power attenuation, micro-cracks or operational failures, the logistics and time costs of returning goods to China for repair far exceed product value, making return repairs impractical. Therefore, importers must abandon verbal warranty commitments and require official stamped written warranty documents from manufacturers, clarifying fault judgment standards, remote replacement processes and local claim timelines, prioritizing compliant suppliers with reliable local after-sales support.

1.7.2 Warranty Document Checklist for Procurement Verification

1.7.2.1 Written Documents for Power and Product Warranty

1.7.2.1.1 Distinguish Promotional Claims from Legally Valid Stamped Manufacturer Documents

Formal procurement requires verification of manufacturer-stamped documents for 25-year linear power warranty and 12–15-year product warranty. Multilingual installation manuals, fault troubleshooting guides and technical datasheets are also essential to facilitate local installation and operation teams, reducing end-user after-sales disputes.

1.8 Complete Practical Procurement Checklist for Southeast Asian Solar Importers (Q4 2026)

1.8.1 Country-Specific Certification Verification Before Order Placement

1.8.1.1 TISI Certification Verification Items for the Thai Market

1.8.1.1.1 Four Core Verification Dimensions: Certificate, Factory, Power Range and Nameplate

First, verify official TISI approval documents and reject pending application receipts. Second, confirm the certified production factory address is fully consistent with the actual supply factory. Third, ensure the certificate power coverage matches the ordered module power range. Fourth, confirm completed TISI marking upgrades on module nameplates to meet customs inspection standards.

1.8.1.2 ICC Certification Verification Items for the Philippine Market

1.8.1.2.1 Distinguish Product Registration and Batch ICC Clearance Approval

First, confirm completion of official BPS product model registration. Second, confirm suppliers provide independent ICC clearance permits corresponding to each shipment’s container number and batch. Third, verify module nameplates comply with PNS standard marking specifications to ensure consistency of physical products, documents and markings.

1.8.2 Product Reliability Document Verification Checklist

1.8.2.1 Basic Third-Party Test Reports

1.8.2.1.1 Priority Verification for Tropical Enhanced Test Items

Fully verify basic IEC61215 and IEC61730 safety test reports, with focused inspection of tropical enhanced reliability tests including long-term damp heat, salt spray, PID resistance and mechanical load tests to ensure product adaptability to extreme Southeast Asian working conditions.

1.8.3 Trade and Warranty Document Verification Checklist

1.8.3.1 RCEP Certificate of Origin, Stamped Warranty Documents and Batch EL Test Reports

1.8.3.1.1 All Documents Must Be Batch-Specific and Shipment-Matched

Before shipment, prepare batch-matched RCEP certificates of origin, EL batch electroluminescence test reports, manufacturer-stamped warranty documents and complete certification reports to ensure smooth customs clearance, project acceptance, after-sales service and tariff reduction processes.

1.9 Core Observation Indicators for Southeast Asian Solar Market Outlook (Q4 2026)

1.9.1 Compliance Supply-Side Indicators

1.9.1.1 Growth Trends of TISI and ICC Certified Manufacturers

1.9.1.1.1 Certified Capacity Growth Determines Compliant Supply Release Rhythm

Continuously track the number of Chinese solar manufacturers obtaining official TISI and ICC certifications and compliant shipment clearance cases in Southeast Asia. As more leading manufacturers complete country-specific certification upgrades, compliant supply will gradually expand, gradually eliminating current certification premiums and shifting market competition to product quality and service capabilities.

1.9.2 Technical Product Indicators

1.9.2.1 New Capacity Commissioning Progress of BC Back-Contact Modules

1.9.2.1.2 BC-TOPCon Price Gap Guides Distributor Inventory Strategy

Track the commissioning rhythm of industrial BC upgraded capacities. The narrowing speed of the price gap between BC and TOPCon modules directly determines the penetration rate of high-end distributed solar products in Southeast Asia and serves as the core reference for distributors to optimize high-low end product proportioning.

1.9.3 Demand-Side Indicators

1.9.3.1 Tender Volume Changes of Local Distributed Projects in Thailand and the Philippines

1.9.3.1.1 Local Project Bidding Drives Rigid Demand for Compliant Modules

Continuous bidding for Thailand’s EEC Eastern Economic Corridor projects and Philippine commercial rooftop subsidy programs will drive rigid demand for high-quality N-type compliant modules, promoting the further upgrade of the Southeast Asian solar market toward full compliance, high efficiency and high reliability.

1.10 Conclusion: Core Procurement Decision Logic Under Policy Changes

The intensive implementation of Thailand TISI and Philippines ICC national regulations in the second half of 2026 has completely ended the low-price-driven barbaric growth era of the Southeast Asian solar industry, ushering in a new competition cycle dominated by compliance priority, reliability supremacy and value-oriented competition.

For Southeast Asian importers, local distributors and EPC contractors, the traditional FOB low-price-only procurement mindset is completely invalid. Although uncertified low-price supplies reduce upfront procurement costs, their inherent risks including customs detention, shipment return, project breach and brand reputation damage are sufficient to erase annual operating profits.

As a critical window for solar project implementation in Southeast Asia, Q4 has formed a clear procurement decision logic: taking national mandatory compliance certification as the foundation, tropical working condition adaptability as the core, full landed cost accounting as the evaluation standard, matching TOPCon volume products and BC high-end differentiated product portfolios, and supporting complete manufacturer warranty and after-sales systems. This strategy effectively avoids market risks and secures long-term profits amid policy changes. In the future, core competitiveness in the Southeast Asian solar market will no longer rely on low-price advantages, but on compliance capabilities, product adaptation capabilities and comprehensive service capabilities.