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Concentrator photovoltaics company Concentrix Solar has received the IEC 62108 certification for its CX-75 Flatcon CPV module generation. The industry standard confirms that the modules and assemblies have passed the required battery of tests and are suitable for long-term operation in a wide range of outdoor climates.

The assessment was performed by the Spanish accredited testing institute CENER and certified by the Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification. The Concentrix module successfully passed all the necessary IEC performance and accelerated aging tests and therefore received design qualification and type approval.

According to the testing standards for conventional PV modules, the IEC 62108 norm simulates environmental conditions and influences for CPV modules to verify the performance reliability and aging resistance, including testing of hail impact, mechanical load, insulation, and wet insulation as well as outdoor exposure.

The company's previous module generation had already passed the IEC tests in 2007.

"The IEC 62108 certificate is an important milestone, confirming that our new CX-75 module is ready for full, commercial deployment in utility-scale electricity production," said Concentrix Solar CEO, Hansjörg Lerchenmüller. "It attests that our systems are capable of withstanding prolonged exposure in harsh climates and are designed to withstand severe environmental conditions such as rain, hail, and high winds."

Concentrix, which was recently acquired by the Soitec Group, manufactures its modules on a fully automated 25MW production line at its plant in Freiburg, Germany.

The company says that the high degree of automation ensures that all modules (which have an average efficiency of 27.2%) have the same high quality and deliver the greatest efficiencies and reliable system operation over long time periods.