CSA Group, a global provider of testing and certification services and a leading standards development organization, announced today that is has consolidated all of its North American Photovoltaic certification and testing activities to New Mexico, home to more than 88 solar companies employing almost 2,000 people.

The 25,000 square foot CFV Solar Test Laboratory is a state-of-the-art photovoltaic (PV) test center, accredited to ISO17025 and is jointly owned by CSA Group, Fraunhofer ISE and Fraunhofer CSE.  CFV has a full complement of sophisticated PV and concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) test and reliability equipment including a flash tester upgrade that will make it the only commercial laboratory in North America able to test accurately to IEC 61853-1. CFV is fully accredited to certify to ANSI/UL 1703 and IEC 61215 as well as all thin film and CPV standards. The facility also has access to a five-acre outdoor testing area.

“CSA Group is moving all its testing and certification services to Albuquerque to take advantage of its world class solar resources,” said Dana Parmenter, CSA Group Global Business Unit Director for PV. “The CFV Solar Test Lab is state-of-the-art and offers services second to none in North America. Our clients here will benefit from superior local service and optimum testing conditions that will help them get their products to market faster.”

A new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) proposes that by 2050 the sun could be the world’s main source of energy, vastly reducing harmful global warming emissions. Prices in the solar energy sector continue to drop while technology keeps improving, and IEA speculates that global demand could double every two years through 2022 as a result. The report indicates that the United States is expected to have strong growth in this sector.

CFV Solar Test Laboratory will be able to offer clients a single point of access to PV and CPV certification, as well as a broad suite of performance, reliability, and extensive outdoor testing capabilities.   CSA Group is a leader in PV testing and certification offering superior global testing and certification for clients. Through coordination with the VDE Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies in Europe and CSA Group’s lab in Kunshan, China, clients are able to get PV and CPV certification to both UL and IEC standards.   In addition, CSA Group’s international network of offices and laboratories in North America, Europe and Asia can support manufacturers of solar PV modules and components in gaining access to global markets.

CSA Group, together with Fraunhofer, will be exhibiting the extensive capabilities of the CFV Solar Test Laboratory at the Solar Power International trade show at the Las Vegas Convention Center from October 20th to 23rd. To learn more about the laboratory and to speak with experts, please visit booth 1951.

About CSA Group

CSA Group is an independent, not-for-profit member-based association dedicated to advancing safety, sustainability and social good. We are an internationally-accredited standards development and testing & certification organization. We also provide consumer product evaluation and education & training services. Our broad range of knowledge and expertise includes: industrial equipment, plumbing & construction, electro-medical & healthcare, appliances & gas, alternative energy, lighting and sustainability. The CSA mark appears on billions of products around the world.

Contact

Steve Dudden
Certification Manager, CSA Albuquerque
505-998-0309
[email protected]