Applied Materials just announced that its giant 5.7m²solar photovoltaic (PV) modules have received certification from theInternational Electrotechnical Commission. The solar panels, producedas part of Applied Material’s Sunfab Thin Film line, are the largestavailable on the market today.

In a press release,Dr. Randhir Thakur, senior vice president and general manager ofApplied Materials’ Display and SunFab Solar Business Group explainedwhy Applied Materials believes that bigger is better:

“We expect 5.7m² modules to become the standard forutility-scale PV power. Applying SunFab technology to ultra-largemodules creates an unprecedented opportunity to reduce bothmanufacturing and installation costs, transforming solar PV into along-term solution to provide the world with affordable energy from arenewable source.”

Certification was awarded by TÜV InterCert, confirming that theSunFab modules meet IEC standards 61646 and 61730. “Applied’s 5.7m²modules are four times bigger than anything we’ve ever tested,” saidMr. Sergizzarea, president and CEO of TÜV InterCert. “We mademodifications to the laboratory and added equipment to enable us totest modules this large. Creating a PV product of this size that canpass all of the IEC tests while maintaining mechanical and electricalintegrity is an impressive feat of engineering.”

Applied Materials (AMAT) Gets Giant Solar Panels IEC Certified