On August 1, 2026, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) issued the SASO IEC 63207-2:2026 technical bulletin. Starting September 1, 2026, all imported photovoltaic cleaning equipment will be required to carry the new energy efficiency label. Equipment will be classified into three levels—A+, A, and B—based on the ratio of water consumption per unit to cleaning area. The threshold for A+ is ≤0.35L/m²·cycle. For exporters and importers of related equipment, certification service providers, and photovoltaic O&M service providers targeting the Saudi market, this change is more than a label adjustment. It directly affects whether SASO CoC certification can be completed and therefore deserves close attention.

The New Labeling Rules Are Now Clearly in Effect

According to the technical bulletin issued by SASO, the applicable products are all imported photovoltaic cleaning equipment. Starting September 1, 2026, these products will need to carry the new energy efficiency label. The label assessment is based on the ratio of water consumption per unit to cleaning area and is divided into three levels: A+, A, and B. The indicator requirement for the A+ level is ≤0.35L/m²·cycle. The bulletin clearly states that products failing to meet the requirements will be unable to complete SASO CoC certification.

This means that the requirements are not merely recommended labeling provisions. They are directly linked to the compliance process for entering the Saudi market.

All Parts of the Industry Chain Will Feel the Pressure in Succession

Export and Trading Activities Will Face the Compliance Threshold First

For exporters, traders, and agents directly serving the Saudi market, the first impact will be on certification preparations before and after customs declaration. Since products that fail to meet the requirements cannot complete SASO CoC certification, whether a product can successfully enter the local market will no longer depend solely on supply and transportation arrangements. It will also depend on whether the label parameters comply with the new rules. This will move compliance verification forward to the order confirmation and pre-shipment stages.

Equipment Manufacturers Need to Recheck Product Parameters

For photovoltaic cleaning equipment manufacturers, the focus will be on indicators such as water consumption, cleaning area, and performance during individual operations. The new label converts these parameters into certification thresholds, meaning that product design, testing criteria, and factory documentation all need to remain consistent with the new requirements. For companies that already export to Saudi Arabia, whether existing models can qualify for A+ or at least meet the certification requirements will directly affect subsequent supply arrangements.

Certification and Supply Chain Service Providers Will Rely More Heavily on Complete Documentation

Service providers responsible for testing, certification, customs clearance assistance, or channel support will need to handle the matching of label information, technical parameters, and compliance documents more frequently. As the requirement is tied to SASO CoC certification, document consistency, prototype test results, and label version management will become more important. For supply chain service organizations, documentation errors or inconsistencies in labeling will amplify delivery risks.

End Buyers Will Pay More Attention to Equipment Selection and Delivery Schedules

For end users purchasing photovoltaic cleaning equipment, particularly parties involved in projects in Saudi Arabia, whether the equipment has completed the required labeling and certification preparations will affect purchasing decisions and delivery schedules. If a supplier cannot provide compliant products in a timely manner, the buyer may need to adjust its equipment selection or acceptance arrangements.

Which Details Should Companies Monitor More Closely Now?

Confirm Whether the Product Is Subject to the New Rules Before Discussing Shipment Schedules

The most practical step at present is to first verify whether the specific product falls within the scope of the SASO bulletin, and then confirm whether the existing model meets the A+/A/B classification requirements. For orders scheduled to be shipped to Saudi Arabia after September 1, it is not enough to review only the contract and logistics milestones. The certification pathway must also be confirmed at the same time.

Labels, Technical Parameters, and Certification Documents Must Remain Consistent

In practice, the label itself is only a surface-level requirement. The issues most likely to arise concern whether the label content is consistent with the technical parameters, test results, and certification documents. When preparing export documentation, companies need to review the energy efficiency label information, product specifications, test records, and customs declaration materials within the same verification framework.

Distinguish Between “Implemented” and “Pending Confirmation” When Communicating with Customers

These requirements have been officially issued, but when applied to different products and transaction chains, the implementation details still need to be verified on a case-by-case basis. In external communications, the more prudent approach is to state only the rules that have been confirmed and avoid making advance commitments regarding unverified certification results or customs clearance conclusions, thereby preventing misunderstandings during delivery.

This Is More Like a Compliance Signal Than Just a Label Update

Based on the analysis, the focus of SASO’s requirement is not only to add an energy efficiency label to photovoltaic cleaning equipment. It also incorporates “water-use efficiency” into the import compliance threshold and directly links it to SASO CoC certification. For the market, this is more like a clear market-entry signal, indicating that Saudi Arabia is beginning to strengthen quantifiable and verifiable technical requirements for photovoltaic-related O&M equipment.

At present, this information is better understood as an implemented regulatory change rather than a short-term piece of news. It remains worth monitoring whether more detailed implementation guidance, label design requirements, or certification procedures will be introduced later.

How Should This Information Be Understood?

Overall, the significance of this update for the industry is that the compliance focus for photovoltaic cleaning equipment entering the Saudi market is shifting from general documentation review toward more specific performance and resource consumption indicators. For companies, the key issue is not the “A+” in the headline, but whether the product can successfully pass certification and be delivered after September 1.

At this stage, this is compliance information with a clearly defined effective date and market-entry conditions. It should be understood as “verify immediately, compare requirements as soon as possible, and continue monitoring,” rather than treated as a general assessment of market trends.

Public Information on Which This Article Is Based

This article was compiled based on the information title, event date, and event summary provided by the user. Sources typically related to this type of information include official SASO announcements, standards organization documents, corporate announcements, industry association information, and reports from authoritative media. Since no specific official source link was provided in the input, this article does not cite external links. The official text and accompanying implementation guidance still need to be continuously verified.