SoloPower earns pair of IEC certifications for flexible CIGS thin-film PV module

Another CIGS thin-film PV manufacturer has garnered certification for its flexible modules. San Jose-based SoloPower has achieved IEC 61646 and 61730 approvals to go along with the UL 1703 it announced earlier this year, allowing the company to sell its rooftop-focused products in the U.S. and Europe. SoloPower claims to be the first among its peers to obtain both IEC certifications for its flex panels.

The company's initial module format, the SFX1 (70/75Wp; 0.3m x 2.9m; 5kg) were IEC certified through TUV SUD America, while the UL work was done by Intertek. Both standards test product durability, safety, reliability, and performance.

SoloPower's bigger, more powerful SFX1-i3 module is undergoing certification testing, the company said, although it did not offer a timeline for completion of the environmental tests.

"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," said SoloPower CEO Tim Harris.  "We are now on a path to developing global market channels for this powerful, lightweight, low-cost product offering."

"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," added CTO Mustafa Pinarbasi.

Fellow flex CIGS purveyor Ascent Solar said last week that it too had achieved IEC 61646 certification for its modules.