Konarka’s Organic Photovoltaic Modules Pass Aging Tests

Organic solar modules from Konarka Technologies Inc. in Lowell, Mass., have passed through aging tests following the type approval standard for photovoltaic thin-film modules IEC 61646. These recent tests confirm that Konarka’s flexible applications can withstand IEC stress tests. In February, the company officials announced product testing success in a rigid glass system. Testing was performed by TÜV Rheinland, an international test provider, in its Solar Energy Assessment Center (SEAC) in Cologne, Germany. These recent advances are based on Konarka’s inverted cell architecture, the company’s proprietary intellectual property protected under issued patents.

“In addition to the many rigid, glass-based applications where Konarka’s Power Plastic has been designed into OEM products, customers using Power Plastic in applications requiring a flexible photovoltaic material can now move forward with product lifetime confidence as a result of this most recent TÜV Rheinland performance testing,” says Howard Berke, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Konarka.

The SEAC of TÜV Rheinland in Cologne is a test lab that optimizes processes and modern testing and simulation facilities for proven quality and reliability according to national and international standards. In February, Konarka’s organic photovoltaic (OPV) modules passed the set of individual tests following IEC 61646 performed by TÜV Rheinland.

Power Plastic solar films are ideally suited for integration into various building materials, including glass, plastics, steel, composites and fabrics, offering architects and product designers latitude with color and transparency options across a range of sizes.