(TÜV SÜD: Peabody, MA) -- 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 United States will continue to increase significantly over the next several years.

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