Oerlikon Solar, manufacturer of thin film photovoltaic (PV) equipment, has received several technology certifications from Underwriters Laboratories, an independent product safety certification organization located in Camas, Wash. Oerlikon has received a UL Master Certificate for solar PV and an expanded TÜV Rheinland IEC certification for a new 130 Watt-peak (Wp) highly efficient module design. Oerlikon Solar said the certifications will help its customers bring thin film PV to market more quickly, adding that its R&D efforts are focused on lowering the module manufacturing cost of thin film silicon PV below $0.70 per Watt by the end of 2010. “Oerlikon Solar is fully committed to help its customers meet fast-growing demand for solar PV,” said Dr. Jürg Henz, CEO of Oerlikon Solar. “We are not only reducing module manufacturing cost, but providing the fastest time-to-market with thin film PV.” UL Master Certification Micromorph and all other Oerlikon technologies including technologies produced on commercial TCO or on Oerlikon Solar in-house produced TCO are now UL certified (UL 1703). The UL Master Certificate is an important validation of product quality and bankability and will be a key factor for sales of products by Oerlikon Solar customers in the fast-growing market in North America, according to the company. “Underwriters Laboratories is pleased to recognize Oerlikon Solar’s compliance with rigorous, international safety standards outlined in our UL Master Certificate,” said Evelyn Butler at Underwriters Laboratories. “The Master Certificate dramatically reduces certification time for Oerlikon Solar’s customers, resulting in an even faster time-to-market with thin film PV.” TÜV Rheinland IEC Certification for 130 Watt-peak module In May 2009, Oerlikon became the first thin film silicon PV technology provider to pass all tests required for its Micromorph thin film silicon solar PV modules to receive TÜV Rheinland’s IEC certification. Now Oerlikon has announced an additional TÜV certification for an improved module design, which will provide a stabilized efficiency of 130 Watt-peak (Wp) by the end of 2010. TÜV Rheinland, recognized for its module certification, put the modules through months of rigorous testing before issuing the IEC master certificate. Oerlikon customers can also accelerate their own IEC certification process, reducing time-to-market for certified high-performance modules from eight months to less than six weeks, said the company. For more information, visit: www.oerlikon.com/solar