NEU-ISENBURG, Germany, June 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- UL Expands Safety and Performance Certification Capacity in Europe With new Inverter Testing Facility and Enhanced PV Module Services in Zeppelinheim, Germany

From 8-10 June 2011, Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is participating at Intersolar Europe 2011 in Munich, Germany, the world's single largest exhibition for the solar industry. At Stand 116 in Hall A3, UL will be showing photovoltaic manufacturers and other solar industry stakeholders how to facilitate product time to market with UL's Global Market Access services and newly accredited testing capacities in Europe.

Two new UL developments are certain to attract visitors to the Intersolar stand (A3/116): the recent IEC accreditation of UL's PV module testing laboratory in Zeppelinheim (CB Scheme fulfillment) and, at the same location, the opening of a European hub for inverter testing in accordance with U.S. and CEC requirements.

Just south of the city of Frankfurt am Main - in Zeppelinheim, Germany - UL operates Europe's largest PV testing laboratory. IEC - the International Electrotechnical Commission just recently accredited the facility in Zeppelinheim as a CB Testing Laboratory (CBTL) for photovoltaic products, further positioning UL as a leading global certification body for PV modules. The state-of-the-art 2,100 sqm lab includes 22 testing chambers, as well as several Continuous Solar Simulators and Flash Light Simulator.

The IEC accreditation marks an important milestone in UL's Global Market Access program. By reducing duplicate testing to obtain multiple international certifications (US, Canada, Europe, and the California Energy Commission), UL can help manufacturers bring their photovoltaic products to global markets via the most effective path, saving valuable time and reducing redundant costs.

Another milestone is the opening of UL's inverter testing laboratory for key U.S. market requirements, including UL 1741 and CEC (California Energy Commission) compliance. Also located in Zeppelinheim, Germany, the new UL laboratory offers six test stations for small inverters (< 30KW output) and two stations to test inverters with a performance up to 100KW. The new laboratory adds to UL's inverter certification services already established for European markets at its facility near Milan, Italy, covering CE, EMC and ENEL testing.

With these capacities, UL is able to better serve manufacturers and distributors. By providing testing and certification from one source, UL leverages its international expertise to provide its clients with time-optimized access to key sales markets. Find more information about UL and its services for the solar industry at http://www.ul.com/dge/photovoltaics

About UL

UL is a premier global safety science company with more than 100 years of proven history. Employing more than 7,000 professionals in over 100 countries, UL is evolving the future of safety with five distinct business units - Product Safety, Environment, Life & Health, Verification and UL University - to meet the expanding needs of customers and the global public. For more information on UL services, please visit http://www.UL.com

    
    CONTACT: Heike Thomas
    Business Development & Marketing
    Global Energy Industry Underwriters Laboratories
    T: +49-6102-369-252

SOURCE Underwriters Laboratories