German Agricultural Society confirms SCHOTT Solar commitment to quality

·        SCHOTT Poly 3XX double glass module and SCHOTT Poly 2XX glass-foil module pass German Agricultural Society’s FokusTest “Ammonia Resistance”

·        Development of test method concluded

·        Adaptation for thin-film modules in work

·        SCHOTT Solar to present module series at Agritechnica

Frankfurt/Mainz, October 26, 2009 – SCHOTT Solar has passed the German Agricultural Society’s (DLG) FokusTest “Ammonia Resistance” and will be issued with the DLG Mark of Conformity for the SCHOTT Poly 3XX double glass and the SCHOTT Poly 2XX glass-foil module series. The DLG thus confirms that these modules stand up to the unique conditions of agriculture, such as ammoniacal air in barns. The solar company also announced that the thin-film modules of the SCHOTT ASI series are also being tested. From November 8 – 14,

SCHOTT Solar will be presenting its photovoltaic modules on booth 26A26 at Agritechnica in Hanover.

The German Agricultural Society and SCHOTT Solar worked together this year to develop a standardized test procedure for solar modules in agricultural environments. The manufacturer of solar modules provided support to the DLG in the form of its know-how and many decades of experience.

The DLG simulates the unique conditions that the photovoltaic modules on top of farm buildings with livestock must withstand at its test center in Groß-Umstadt. These tests help determine whether or not PV modules are suited for standing up to the effects of the air in barns for periods of use of at least 20 years. These tests take place inside a special atmospheric chamber that contains environmental pollution. To assess ammoniacal resistance, each module is also subjected to a visual inspection both before and after the climate test, as well as an insulation test, a test of the insulation resistance with moisture, and a performance measurement.

The PV modules from SCHOTT Solar met all of the demands and fulfilled the test criteria of the DLG. “These tests showed that the modules from SCHOTT Solar offer resistance against ammoniacal air inside barns and thus do not age any faster than the modules that are installed on a normal single-family home,” explains Winfried Gramatte, the project manager responsible at the DLG. He adds: “Only high-quality modules that are capable of resisting the effects of extreme conditions and are durable will be able to generate high yields for extended periods of time.”

“In our opinion, the test methods that have met with acceptance in the past are insufficient when it comes to assessing whether solar modules are capable of coping with the unique demands of agriculture. Together with the DLG, we have now developed a meaningful and practical testing method for agriculture,” says Jürgen Fortenbacher, Director of Product Management at SCHOTT Solar AG. “Besides, the result of the FokusTest also confirms our quality strategy. Our modules must stand up to many stress tests and internal inspections that are more stringent than the applicable testing criteria require. This is the only way that we can be sure that the modules deliver the output they promise. This puts us in a position to extend our performance guarantee to up to 30 years and deliver modules with plus tolerance,” he concludes.

For further information on the new test standard for solar modules in agricultural environments, please contact:

-      DLG Test Center on Technology,
Contact:
Winfried Gramatte,
Phone: 069/24788-612,
Fax: 069/24788-690 or
e-mail: w.gramatte@DLG.org

or

-      SCHOTT Solar AG,
Contact:
Jürgen Fortenbacher,
Phone: 06023/91-3422,
Fax: 06023/91-1700 or
e-mail: juergen.fortenbacher@schottsolar.com

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For further information: www.schottsolar.de

Press photographs are available for downloading from www.schott-pictures.net