Peabody, Massachusetts. TÜV SÜD America Inc. has announced a cooperation agreement with Renewable Energy Test Center (RETC LLC), an engineering services and test provider based in Fremont, California. Through this cooperation, RETC will provide TÜV SÜD a global partner for testing and certification for photovoltaics (PV) and renewable energy products, including third-party outdoor performance and reliability testing. RETC will complement TÜV SÜD's strategy to deliver one-stop shop capabilities for the growth of PV testing and certification services. The RETC-TÜV SÜD America partnership will help accelerate TÜV SÜD's plan to establish a strong foothold in the global solar energy market by obtaining accreditation to UL 1703 in addition to TÜV SÜD's existing accreditation to IEC 61215, IEC 61646, IEC 61730, and UL 1741. RETC, located in the heart of the Silicon Valley, will leverage its semiconductor-experienced engineers and process knowledge, Silicon Valley's infrastructure, and the solar energy market growth in the U.S. to provide a unique advantage. Furthermore, the passing of the Federal stimulus package indicates that the demand for PV services in the U.S. will continue to increase significantly over the next several years.

"With the lengthy turn-around times of PV testing and certification both in the U.S. and globally, the RETC management team believes that this is constraining the advancement of solar energy technologies," stated Alelie Funcell, President and CEO of RETC. "This PV testing bottleneck offers a strategic market entry opportunity for RETC to ramp up its planned testing capabilities starting in North America. Partnering with TÜV SÜD, who is recognized for its global presence and expertise in testing, inspection, and certification services, will propel RETC into achieving the required accreditations and certifications. TÜV SÜD's brand name and prestige will provide RETC with solid market acceptance," added Ms. Funcell.

"The collaboration with RETC reinforces our commitment to increase safety and value for our customers. More importantly, it combines RETC's rigorous, high-quality, process-driven semiconductor thinking, resulting in a mature, experienced partner to help navigate through the very new, complex, and rapidly growing PV market," concluded Mr. Karsten Xander, TÜV SÜD America's President and CEO.

For more information on TÜV SÜD America's Photovoltaics Testing, visit: http://tuvamerica.com/services/photovoltaics.cfm

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