Identity
What the product is and who made it.
PV example · Serial number, module type and manufacturer.What is a Digital Product Passport?
A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a structured digital record linked to a product. It brings together information from organizations that make, certify, install and maintain it, so that information can remain available for decisions later in its life.
How it works
A passport is linked to a physical product through an identifier on the product. The record itself is kept on a platform, not on the module.
Physical module and label
A serialized PV module carries an identifier, such as a serial number and QR code.
Scan
A QR code can link to the record for that module. The code carries a link, not the passport data.
Digital Product PassportG25-250429-0267
Photovoltaic module · demonstration data
Identification
- Module type
- BLACKSTAR B.108 435 W · v1
- Manufacturer
- SoliTek
Technical specifications
- Cell type
- N-type, bifacial, 108 cells
- Dimensions
- 1722 × 1134 × 30 mm
Material composition
Aluminium frame, glass, solar cells and copper ribbons
Contributions
- Manufacturing and quality inspection
- Packaging and shipping
- Installation
Digital Product Passport
A structured record held on a platform. Defined contributions publish versions. Earlier versions remain readable.
What a passport contains
Which information a passport must hold is defined per product group. Categories and available values vary: not every record contains all of them.
Digital Product PassportG25-250429-0267
Photovoltaic module · demonstration data
Identity
- Module identifier
- G25-250429-0267
- Module type
- BLACKSTAR B.108 435 W · v1
- Manufacturer
- SoliTek
Technical specifications
Physical and electrical properties needed to install, operate and service a module.
PV example · Dimensions, weight, cell type and efficiency.Technical specifications
- Cell type
- N-type, bifacial, 108 cells
- Dimensions
- 1722 × 1134 × 30 mm
- Weight
- 25.0 kg
- Efficiency
- 22.27 %
Material composition
Which materials a product contains and in what quantities.
PV example · Glass, aluminium, silicon and other materials.Material composition
- Structure
- Aluminium frame, front and back glass
- Components
- Solar cells, copper ribbons and junction box
- Other materials
- Encapsulant, sealant and insulated cable
Compliance and certificates
Which certificates apply, who issued them and until when.
PV example · Type certification for one module-type version.Compliance and certificates
- Certificate
- TES123456
- Applies to
- Module type version 1
Lifecycle events
What happened to an individual module after manufacture.
PV example · Manufacturing, inspection, shipping and installation.Lifecycle events
- Manufacturing
- 10.06.2023
- Quality inspection
- 12.06.2023
- Shipping
- 16.06.2023
- Installation
- 25.07.2023
Circularity and end of life
Information that can inform repair, reuse and recycling decisions.
PV example · Degradation, warranty, recyclability and recycled content.Circularity and end of life
- Annual degradation
- 0.31 %
- Warranty
- 30 years
- Recyclability
- 95 %
One module type, many individual modules
A module type describes information shared by its modules. Each serialized module has its own identifier and history. Its passport combines product information with contributions over time.
Module type
Specification shared by every module of this type and version.
BLACKSTAR B.108 435 W SoliTek
Type version 1- Nominal power
- 435 W
- Cell technology
- N-type, bifacial, 108 cells
- Dimensions
- 1722 × 1134 × 30 mm
- Weight
- 25.0 kg
- Material composition
- Aluminium frame, glass, solar cells and copper ribbons
- Certification
- Applicable after approval for this version
Certification-relevant values are fixed once modules reference this version. A declared change creates a new type version: existing modules keep referencing version 1.
Serialized modules
Each has its own serial number and references version 1.
Lifecycle history
Recorded per module. One module’s events do not appear on the others.
Serialized modules
Each references type version 1 and keeps its own history.
G25-250429-0268
Installed
B.108 435 W · v1- Serialized
- Installed
Example: G25-250429-0270
Illustrative · not installed
B.108 435 W · v1- Serialization after certification
A valid certificate can be included in the first passport.
- No installation recorded
Example: G25-250429-0271
Illustrative: installed, later inspected
B.108 435 W · v1- Serialized
- Installed
- Abnormal production reported
Plant-level observation: no passport version.
- Finding confirmed
Published for this module.
The confirmed finding belongs to this module. The shared type and other modules are unchanged.
Who is involved
Organizations contribute information through defined workflows and may rely on information from other stages. No single party necessarily holds the whole history.
↓ Contributes↑ May need later
Manufacturer
Contributes ↓Module identities, type specifications and material composition
May need ↑Confirmed findings on its modules
A valid type certificate can create the first passport at serialization
Certification body
Contributes ↓Certificate decisions for a module-type version
May need ↑Type version, specifications, materials, circularity declarations and supporting documents
Approval can publish a version
Installer
Contributes ↓Plant, string and position of each module
May need ↑Specifications and applicable certificates
Commissioning publishes a version
Owner or operator
Contributes ↓Plant details and performance data
May need ↑Certificates, warranty and service history
Performance data does not publish a version
Service provider
Contributes ↓Observations and confirmed findings
May need ↑Installation layout and earlier findings
A confirmed finding publishes a version
Recycler
Contributes ↓Recycling data (not yet implemented)
May need ↑Uses DPP revision history and material information to inform recycling decisions.
Not implemented
Passport of one module
Contributions use the platform’s workflows. Installation and maintenance source records are seeded demonstration data, not live imports from external systems. Reuse and recycling workflows are not implemented.
Explore the DemoBenefits and challenges
A passport helps when its information remains available and can be trusted. Each benefit depends on addressing a corresponding challenge.
What a passport can make possible
What remains difficult
Product traceability
A module can be associated with its type version, certificates and installation position.
Long product lifetimes
Records must remain accessible as organizations, software and formats change.
Better maintenance and reuse decisions
Earlier findings and specifications can inform assessment for repair or a second life.
Missing or inconsistent source data
A passport is only as reliable as the information contributed to it.
Less information lost between organizations
A maintained history can help preserve installation details and findings over time.
Different systems and terminology
Organizations need shared meanings for data as well as compatible formats.
More consistent material documentation
Material composition can be recorded per module-type version.
Trustworthy, understandable histories
Entries need clear sources and authors, and a history that remains readable.
EU regulatory context
The EU sets passport requirements product group by product group. A general framework applies across groups: product-specific rules determine what a passport must contain.
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 ↗
Sets the general framework for Digital Product Passports across product groups.
Product-specific rules
Delegated acts can specify the information and access requirements for a product group. This page does not state that PV-specific DPP rules are in effect.
Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 ↗
Introduces a battery passport for certain battery categories from February 2027. These requirements are specific to batteries.
European Commission: Digital Product Passport ↗
The Commission’s overview of the DPP and its implementation.
Frequently asked questions
Is a DPP the same as a QR code?
No. The QR code or label is only the data carrier. It holds an identifier that leads to the passport, which is the actual record.
Who can see the information in a passport?
Rules can differ by product group. The public example is available without an account. The demonstrator’s web application requires sign-in and does not model access to individual fields.
Who keeps the passport up to date?
The organizations involved in the product’s life each contribute what they know: manufacturer, certifier, installer, service provider. Every contribution keeps its source and author.
What happens when a passport changes?
Defined workflow steps publish a new version, such as a certificate approval, a commissioned installation or a confirmed maintenance finding. Routine edits and performance data do not. Earlier versions remain readable.
Where does the demonstrator data come from?
Contributors use the web application. Installation and maintenance source records are seeded demonstration data, not imported from live external systems.
Will passports be required for solar modules?
The EU sets passport requirements product group by product group through separate acts. This site does not state that PV-specific rules have been adopted.
Can I try one?
Yes. The public example passport in the demonstrator needs no account. Project partners can sign in to the full web application. Open the example Digital Product Passport
See a passport in the demonstrator
The public example passport shows a module record with demonstration data. Categories without data are shown as empty.