Wuxi-based Suntech Power Holdings, a manufacturer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, has announced that it is the first solar company in Asia to be awarded the VDE Test Data Acceptance Program certificate in accordance with all the requirements of IEC 61215.
Dr. Qiang Han, the general manager of VDE Shanghai, commented that the German-headquartered technical and scientific association was impressed by Suntech's comprehensive quality testing processes, a number of which exceeded IEC certification requirements.
As part of the program, VDE will regularly send experienced personnel to witness the implementation of key quality tests and procedures at Suntech. Participation in TDAP is expected to accelerate Suntech's ongoing IEC certification process from approximately seven months to four months, enabling Suntech to bring the latest solar products to market faster.
Suntech's PV module testing facility is reported to be the largest in China with 1,400 square meters of indoor testing space and 7,000 square meters of outdoor testing space. The test equipment includes a walk-in UV light chamber, a walk-in salt mist chamber, a water vapor test, pulse and continuous solar simulators, walk-in climate chambers, mechanical load and hail testers, electroluminescence testers, and high precision infrared cameras to evaluate module integrity. All the equipment and testing procedures meet or exceed the stringent standards of UL1703, IEC61215 and IEC61730-2.
In June 2009, Suntech's PV module testing facility became the first in China to be awarded the Underwriters Laboratories Witness Testing Data Program certificate.