The task shall focus on research activities and not interfere with standardization bodies. Standardization bodies need the results of research and, under participation of the market actors work out the way the research results shall be applied to products. Communication and dissemination of results will include the legal authorities which define how certification shall be run, for use as they see fit. This proposed international collaboration will research and develop, where needed, new test procedures and characterization methods for addressing the testing of both conventional and advanced solar thermal products. It will leverage the knowledge from existing Tasks/Technical Committees/Certification Groups as a base for the development of work, inviting these groups to participate. By researching testing issues and improved approaches the outputs of this task can help optimize the time and resources companies, laboratories and certification bodies expend on testing and certification; while still assuring consumer protection and providing credible information on solar heating and cooling benefits. The scope of this proposed task includes performance testing and characterization, qualification testing, environmental impact assessment, accelerated aging tests, numerical and analytical modelling, component substitution procedures, and entire system assessment.