10 July 2012

SoloPower’s second-generation flexible modules certified to UL and IEC standards

SoloPower Inc of San Jose, CA, USA, which makes thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) photovoltaic (PV) cells and lightweight flexible solar modules using a proprietary roll-to-roll electro-deposition process, has received certification of its next-generation SF1, SP1 and SP3L SoloPanels to both Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards.

The development represents “another step towards our goal of making solar the main source of energy for commercial and industrial buildings worldwide,” says CEO Tim Harris.

SoloPower’s remaining next-generation module, the SP3S SoloPanel, has been certified to UL standards, and the firm anticipates certification to IEC standards in the near term. The SF1 and SP1 SoloPanels are optimized for 12- and 16-inch standing-seam metal roof integration. The SP3L and SP3S SoloPanels are optimized for commercial and industrial low-slope building applications.

The new suite of solar solutions feature three first-of-their-kind, easy, non-penetrating installation kits: the SoloSaddle, SoloEdge and the SoloBridge, which increase application versatility while maximizing module performance across rooftops and geographies, says the firm. SoloSaddle integrates the SP3S into membrane-based roofing systems, while a low-slope curve provides self-cleaning and high performance in hot climates. SoloEdge integrates the SP3L into membrane-based roofing systems. A five-degree slope provides self-cleaning and high performance in cold climates. SoloBridge integrates the SP3L into metal roofing systems.

“Being certified to both UL and IEC standards is a significant milestone on the road to full-scale commercialization,” says president & chief commercial officer Bruce Khouri, a building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) pioneer. “Our first-of-their-kind rooftop installation kits are designed to rapidly expand the versatility for commercial and industrial rooftop solar applications,” he adds. BIPV is one of the fastest-growing segments of the solar industry, he comments.

SoloPower is showcasing its next-generation technology at the Intersolar North America 2012 trade show in San Francisco (10-12 July). Khouri is speaking at the ‘Building Integrated Solutions - Concepts and Applications’ session, which explores the meaning, history, and evolution of BIPV for rooftop applications. Harris also features as part of ‘The Future of PV - A Market and Technology Outlook & CEO Panel’.

In late June, SoloPower announced an expansion of its senior leadership team to incorporate two solar energy veterans, appointing Element Power Solar’s chairman Paolo Pietrogrande as a member of its board of directors and Bart Van Ouytsel to lead sales in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). The firm is also preparing to open its high-volume manufacturing facility in Portland, OR, which will begin commercial production later this year and is ultimately expected to have a capacity of 400MW and employ 450 people.

SoloPower says that its proprietary approach embodies critical technology, manufacturing, and cost advantages that enable large-scale ‘fab-style’ production of high-efficiency CIGS-based photovoltaic cells, which are then packaged into flexible, lightweight solar modules that require less balance-of-system hardware and are easier to install than traditional solar panels, it is claimed.

Tags: SoloPower CIGS

Visit: www.SoloPower.com