In a watershed breakthrough for the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, SoloPower, Inc., a California-based manufacturer of flexible, thin-film solar PV cells and modules, today announced UL certification for its flexible, CIGS modules, a first-ever achievement for the PV solar industry.

“As governor, I have made it a point to make California an environmental leader with a global footprint. SoloPower’s advancement demonstrates that California is leading the way in technology innovation for the green economy,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. “We welcome this type of innovation that creates jobs, strengthens the economy, and helps protect the environment.”

This is the first UL-certified product in a line of high-power flexible modules being introduced initially to European and North American markets. The flexibility and high-power rating of these products will allow SoloPower’s customers to reduce balance-of-system and installation costs, while their low weight and application features will facilitate solar installations where they are otherwise impossible.

"The certification of SoloPower's flexible CIGS module is an important step toward the realization of lightweight, high-power, flexible solar modules with potential to expand the roof-top solar market and reduce balance of system costs. It is an important milestone for the industry. I feel very gratified to see, after a 30-year career in thin film CIGS PV at NREL, the technology become mature," says Dr. Rommel Noufi, principal scientist of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

UL certification was granted following rigorous testing at an independent laboratory. SoloPower’s thin-film modules were tested to UL 1703, the standard for safety for PV module manufacturing. In addition to this confirmation, SoloPower itself has conducted extensive internal testing that well exceeds the safety, quality, and reliability standards established by these tests. SoloPower was also the first manufacturer to receive UL certification for rigid modules based on flexible CIGS PV cells in June 2009.

“With low-cost and low-capital expenditure requirements, SoloPower’s core manufacturing process will enable rapid scale-up during our next phase of expansion,” said Tim Harris, CEO, SoloPower. “The Company is in the process of adding a second manufacturing line that will significantly increase capacity to meet expected demand.”

Simultaneously, SoloPower is in discussions with the Department of Energy to potentially obtain a loan guarantee under EPACT 2005 Section 1703 to support the construction of an additional multiple-line production facility.