News Article
Solopower Receives IEC Certification for CIGS Modules
The latest certification means the California based firm can provide its flexible CIGS modules to Europe aswell as North America.
SoloPower, a California-based manufacturer of flexible, thin film solar cells and modules has become the first solar company to obtain certification to both IEC (61646 and 61730) standards and UL 1703 standards for flexible, thin film CIGS modules.
This pace setting accomplishment enables SoloPower to sell flexible, lightweight CIGS modules in Europe in addition to North America.
“Achieving these certifications clearly puts us in a position to offer our global customers a better solution to many of the challenges they are facing,” stated SoloPower CEO Tim Harris. “We are now on a path to developing global market channels for this powerful, lightweight, low-cost product offering.”
Mustafa Pinarbasi, SoloPower CTO, added, “Certification of our flexible modules against IEC and UL standards is a direct result of outstanding efforts by our team, demonstrating significant advances in our technology and products.”
SoloPower's flexible CIGS module achieved IEC 61646 and IEC 61730 certifications through TÜV SÜD America. Prior to that, SoloPower’s flexible module received ETL Mark certification to the UL 1703 standard by Intertek. These certification standards test product durability, safety, reliability, and performance.
SoloPower claims its modules offer an unmatched combination of power and cost effectiveness, packaged in a durable, lightweight, flexible form. The company has obtained certification under IEC and UL standards for its initial module format, the SFX1 module (70Wp and 75Wp, 0.3m x 2.9m, 2.3kg / 5lbs.). SoloPower’s SFX1-i3 module (up to 260Wp, 0.88m x 3m, 6.8kg/15lbs.) is currently completing certification testing.
SoloPower, headquartered in Silicon Valley California, produces low-cost, high-power, flexible thin-film photovoltaic modules that offer a viable alternative to electricity produced using traditional fossil fuels. SoloPower’s modules employ its solar cell devices fabricated with copper indium gallium di-selenide (CIGS) materials using a proprietary roll-to-roll electrodeposition process.
TÜV SÜD America, a subsidiary of TÜV SÜD AG, is a business-to-business engineering services firm providing international safety testing and certification services. Founded in 1987, TÜV SÜD America has grown to more than 600 experts in over a dozen locations throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Intertek is a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world. From auditing and inspection, to testing, quality assurance and certification, Intertek has a network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 26,000 people in more than 100 countries around the world.