LINSENGERICHT, Germany – Atlas Material Testing Technology, a leader in accelerated weathering instruments and weathering testing services, has entered into an alliance with SGS, a leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, allowing for the expansion of the Atlas 25+ PV module durability test program.

Consisting of a comprehensive battery of accelerated tests, the original Atlas 25+ program integrated both laboratory and outdoor environmental exposures, targeting the long-term product "wear-out" period that can result in declining module performance or outright failure.

As a result of the Atlas-SGS collaboration, the standard Atlas 25+ exposure and testing protocol will be enhanced beginning July 2012 with the availability of two new versions of the program: a six-month streamlined "basic" program for those needing faster results and an expanded 12-month "premium" offering that includes additional climate factors and performance measurements.

SGS will offer Atlas 25+ as both a stand-alone program and as an optional part of its larger "SGS - PV Performance Tested" scheme, which includes options for corrosive gas, salt mist, fire and potential-induced-degradation (PID) resistance among others. Modules passing these tests, including Atlas 25+, will be entitled to the SGS – PV Performance Tested marks.

SGS is accredited as a National Certification Body (NCB) and is one of five German CB testing laboratories (CBTL) within the IECEE certification scheme for photovoltaics. As such, SGS can issue internationally recognized CB testing certificates and CB testing reports. Atlas will continue to offer the three Atlas 25+ programs (basic, standard and premium) as well as internationally certified versions through SGS.