Verditek lightweight solar panels get IEC certification

Verditek announced on Wednesday that its lightweight photovoltaic (PV) panel technology has successfully passed all tests required for IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 certification.

The AIM-traded firm said the technology was being used to transform solar power by making “very light-weight” robust photovoltaic solar cells.

It said those could be deployed in many more ways than heavy conventional solar cells, such as on weaker, temporary, or old roofing.

Obtaining certification was the final step of preparation for commercialisation, the board explained, as it verified the robustness and efficiency of the PV technology.

Manufacturing would now proceed to fulfil the company’s first order, converting the pipeline of leads being generated by the company’s sales team and through its commercial partners - Engenera Renewables and Optimeyes Energy.

As it had recently announced, Verditek’s 1,800 square metre facility near Milan comprised an automated manufacturing line with a production capacity of 20 MW per annum.

In order to pass the IEC tests, the panels had been exposed to months of testing, including thermal cycling, damp-heat, mechanical-load and hail tests which simulated “aggressive” ageing and exposure to differing climatic conditions.

Testing was carried out by TUV InterCert, an international organisation with headquarters in Bonn.

Verditek said that due to their polymer construction, its PV panels were robust and semi-flexible, being approximately three millimetres thick and weighing around 2.3 kilograms per square metre.

It said that, by using the same monocrystalline cells employed in the best PV modules, it could deliver more watts per weight.

“This milestone confirms the quality of materials and design of our panel benchmarks against the best conventional panel available in the market,” said Verditek Solar general manager Alfredo De Mutiis.

“We will continue to improve on our design and formulation as we mature the business, but I am satisfied that our hard work and determination of the last months has been rewarded.”