The new expansion to the Photovoltaic Technology Center of Excellence brings the total laboratory space to almost 3,000 square-metres and now houses five extra chambers that assess a variety of PV innovations including crystalline and thin-film technologies, including BIPV and concentrated PV. UL also tests Recognised Components such as PV connectors and junction boxes.
UL has invested heavily in solar and other alternative energies such as wind, as well as new energy efficiency and storage technologies such as LED and large batteries for electric vehicles in order to meet the growing global demand for testing services of these new technologies. Investments include opening new facilities, standards development, certification schemes and groundbreaking research.
In addition to the expansion of the Photovoltaic Technology Center of Excellence, UL opened a testing facility in Suzhou (China) in early 2009 and has plans to open new facilities in Germany and Japan in 2010. It also recently achieved CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL) accreditation at its San Jose facility, enabling it to provide international certifications through harmonisation of technical requirements from over 50 countries across five continents and help manufacturers achieve global market access faster and more easily.
"With the global solar market expected to generate 10% of the world's total electricity by 2035, we believe, more than ever, safety has to be a priority in its evolution," said Jeff Smidt General Manager of UL's Global Energy Business. "Our San Jose facility expansion and CBTL accreditation are just two examples of our ongoing commitment to the proliferation of safe, reliable renewable energy solutions globally."
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