Desert Regions on the Horizon: REC Enters the Middle East

MUNICH, June 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

REC, the largest European supplier of solar panels globally, plans to make an impact at this year's Intersolar in Munich in hall A1, booth 380, by displaying for the very first time a bi-facial solar panel concept well suited for desert conditions, and announcing the opening of a new office in Dubai, UAE.

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"We expect that the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region will be a key market from 2015, driven by rapidly increasing energy usage and high irradiation levels," states Luc Graré, Senior Vice President Solar Sales and Marketing, REC. "The new office in Dubai will be the hub for all activities in the MENA region where we have already started to establish a new organization and partnerships to enter this promising market."

REC Peak Energy Series solar panels recently received a "desert-proof" accreditation for passing the Blowing Sand Test according to IEC 60068 protocol by SGS, the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. The test measures durability in harsh desert environments characterized by blowing sand. REC's strong performance in the test, which demonstrates resistance to loss in performance caused by high temperatures and blowing sand, confirms that REC solar panels are also ideally suited for use in desert regions.

The high performance of REC Peak Energy Solar panels in real-life desert conditions is also validated by the Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Center (DKASC). The test site is a demonstration facility for commercialized solar technologies operating in the arid solar conditions of Alice Springs, Central Australia. The DKASC reasserts that REC solar panels perform better than most of the monocrystalline competitors (c-Si) and achieve higher yields than panels produced by REC's industry peers.

"We are delighted that our REC Peak Energy Series solar panels perform consistently and optimally in all conditions and environments around the world," concludes Luc Graré. "For our partners, we steadily strive to ensure our manufacturing processes are of the highest standards possible while testing in real world applications and securing reliability and durability through stringent quality controls, exceeding international standards."

The third party factory audits carried out by two high-profile engineering firms - Mott MacDonald and Black & Veatch - confirm superior manufacturing process and quality assurance mechanisms at REC's state-of-the-art production facility in Singapore. Valencia Puccini, Renewable Energy Advisor at Mott MacDonald commented: "REC's internal processes and quality requirements provide extra comfort on the long term behavior of REC solar panels."

About REC:

REC is a leading global provider of solar electricity solutions. With nearly two decades of expertise, we offer sustainable, high-performing products, services and investment opportunities for the solar and electronics industries. Together with our partners, we create value by providing solutions that better meet the world's growing electricity needs. Our 2,300 employees worldwide generated revenues of more than NOK 7 billion in 2012, approximately EUR 1 billion or USD 1.3 billion. 

To see more of what REC can offer, visit http://www.recgroup.com.

For further information please contact:
Anja Hesse
Public Relations Manager, REC Solar Sales and Marketing GmbH
Leopoldstr. 175, 80804 Munich, Germany
Phone: +49-89-54-04-67-223  
Email: anja.hesse@recgroup.com

SOURCE REC Solar Sales and Marketing GmbH