Munich, Germany, February 7, 2022 – REC Group, an international pioneering solar energy company headquartered in Norway, announces that the lead-free1 REC Alpha Puresolar panel has received CERTISOLIS certification for low carbon footprint (LCF). This officially qualifies the REC Alpha Pure for public sector tenders and rooftop installations between 100 and 500 kWp in France, which offers REC Certified Solar Professionals even better opportunities to gain business in the French solar market.
Significantly lower carbon footprint for a cleaner industry
With clearly less than 550 kg of CO2-eq per kWp, the REC Alpha Pure easily meets the eligibility conditions of the French Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE). Reinhard Lampe, Vice President Sales and Marketing REC Solar EMEA, “With the PV industry growing in importance to fight climate change, we need to be even more sustainable. For 25 years, REC has been committed to pioneering solar technology with high efficiencies in order to drive the global energy transitions. At the same time, we take our responsibility for sustainable innovations even more seriously. With its low carbon footprint and lead-free construction, the REC Alpha Pure Series is an easy and convincing choice for project developers in France who are serious about minimizing their environmental impact.”
Why carbon footprint of a solar panel matters even more today: While a consumer’s choice to go solar is doing good in general, how much good can vary greatly. If this year’s expected 200 GW of installed solar PV panels worldwide would have a footprint of only 10 kg CO2-eq per kWp less, the industry could save two mega tons of CO2-eq – this is the equivalent of 4.6 million of barrels of oil not consumed 2.
CRE requires all solar panels to have a carbon footprint certificate from CERTISOLIS in order to bid for projects in the latest round of renewable energy tenders under France’s multi-year energy procurement program PPE2. To gain eligibility for rooftop installations between 100 and 500 kWp and for PPE2 tenders, solar panels have a carbon footprint value below 550 kg of CO2-eq per kWp.
The clean energy revolution REC Alpha Pure
With one of the world’s most advanced cell technologies, half-cut heterojunction cells in a gapless layout, the REC Alpha Pure delivers up to 410 Wp in a compact panel size. At 222 watts per square meter, the panel offers one of the highest power densities on the market, helping homeowners and businesses benefit from optimum use of space and even higher savings on energy bills. While the higher power allows consumers to offset more carbon emissions, with their choice for the lead-free1 Alpha Pure solar panel they are even more protecting the environment by preventing to add lead to the ecosystem in the future.
The REC Alpha Pure is based on REC’s Twin Design and the patented split cell and junction box technology that has already proven so popular in REC solar panels, including the original and award-wining Alpha Series. The REC Alpha Pure is eligible for the premium REC ProTrust warranty package, which offers up to 25 years coverage on product, performance and labor3, with guaranteed power of at least 92% in year 25 of operation.
REC strongly committed to CSR
As all REC solar panels, the Alpha Pure Series is manufactured in REC’s highly efficient production site in Singapore using Industry 4.0 practices. The company is continuously driving Energy, Water and Waste Savings programs and is using also solar power on its rooftop to reduce its own environmental footprint. At its manufacturing site in Norway, REC invented a technology to convert kerf, a by-product of the wafer production process, to high-quality solar grade silicon, drastically reducing the carbon footprint. REC is committed to a holistic Corporate Social Responsibility according to the core subjects of ISO 26000. Detailed information available at recgroup.com/csr.
