Ascent Solar becomes first CIGS flexible monolithically integrated module maker to achieve external IEC 61646 certification

THORNTON, USA: Ascent Solar Technologies Inc., a developer of state of the art flexible thin-film solar modules, has become the first manufacturer of thin-film flexible monolithically integrated CIGS modules to receive full IEC 61646 certification upon completion of environmental testing.

The environmental testing of Ascent Solar modules for this paramount milestone was conducted by an independent laboratory under the requirements of IEC 61646 standards. The Ascent Solar modules successfully passed the complete battery of tests required including the rigorous standard of one thousand (1,000) hours of damp heat testing (85 percent relative humidity and 85° C temperature) set forth by IEC for performance and long term reliability.

Becoming the first high power flexible CIGS module manufacturer to complete certification now opens the door for an aggressive push into building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) and building applied photovoltaic (BAPV) applications for use in commercial, industrial and residential rooftop markets. Nanomarkets reports that BIPV applications are the fastest growing PV segment and is projected to grow to a $6.6 billion market by 2015.

Dr. Farhad Moghadam, president and CEO of Ascent Solar stated: "Becoming the first monolithically integrated flexible CIGS module manufacturer to achieve IEC certification is a major industry milestone. We are now looking forward to demonstrating our ability to compete with existing technologies currently being used for large commercial, industrial and residential rooftop applications by adding new beta site installations in addition to those completed with existing and new potential customers that have been waiting for this development.

"We feel that we have a significant advantage when it comes to power to weight ratios and the real capability our product has to reduce balance of systems costs in turn reducing overall system installed cost to the end customer. Our demonstration of the first flexible CIGS package which meets the IEC testing opens the door to penetration into these large market opportunities.”