Underwriters Laboratories has opened what it calls Europe’s largest solar PV testing and certification facility–the Photovoltaic Technology Center of Excellence located near the Frankfurt/Main airport in Germany. The new lab joins UL’s existing PV centers in San Jose, CA, and Suzhou, China; the company says it also has plans for new facilities in Japan and India in the works.
The new 22,600-square-foot testing facility in Germany houses 22 world-class testing chambers, including 14 climate chambers, four damp heat chambers, two large walk-ins, and two temperature and humidity ovens, as well as other testing equipment.
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This added capacity allows UL to offer its European customers faster, more cost-efficient testing processes due to the local presence and a highly skilled engineering team that speaks the local language, according to the company.
UL says it is the only company in Europe that is fully accredited to test to UL1703 and IEC/EN61730 standards, and its UL Mark has complete market acceptance in the U.S.
“The opening of the German facility marks another milestone in our photovoltaic global expansion and underscores our commitment to the industry and our customers,” said Jeff Smidt, VP/GM of UL’s global energy business. “Whether it is through our industry expertise, innovations in our service portfolio, or investing in state-of-the-art facilities, we are expanding our capabilities to help manufacturers deliver innovative and safe PV products to the market.”
