June 4 (Reuters) - Two of the world's biggest solar

panel makers, First Solar ( FSLR ) and Hanwha Qcells, became the first to

register products under an environmental ratings system

preferred for U.S. government purchasing, an industry group

said.

Combined, the companies have seven products that meet the

EPEAT standard created by the Global Electronics Council,

according to Qcells, the GEC and the Ultra Low-Carbon Solar

Alliance, a solar industry group.

The Biden administration has established rules requiring

federal buyers to maximize their use of sustainable products,

defined as adhering to third-party standards outlined by the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) late last year.

The EPEAT standard for solar panels was among those

recommended by the agency. To achieve the EPEAT label, producers

must meet criteria for efficient power and water use, recycled

content, disclosure of substances used in manufacturing, worker

health and safety and more.

Producing panels in the United States helps lower the carbon

intensity of the products. Both First Solar ( FSLR ) and Qcells have U.S.

manufacturing facilities.

The distinction will help First Solar ( FSLR ) and Qcells

become go-to suppliers for federal projects, which

are expected to be a major source of demand for solar panels. As

part of his climate change agenda, President Joe Biden set a

goal to decarbonize federal buildings by 2045, including a 50%

reduction by 2032.

The administration earlier this year, for instance, said it

would install solar panels on the Department of Defense's

Pentagon headquarters in Virginia.

"The EPEAT ecolabel will make it easy for customers who

value transparency and sustainability to find our products and

work with us," Qcells' senior director of sustainability, Kelly

Weger, said in a statement.

"Beyond commercial and residential customers, this now means

our USA assembled and sustainably made solar products will help

the federal government achieve its ambitious climate goals."

Several other manufacturers are in the process of getting

their solar panels registered under the standard, according to

Bob Mitchell, chief executive of the Global Electronics Council.

"With the growing demand from global purchasers for

responsibly manufactured panels, we expect significant growth of

participating companies in the coming months," Mitchell said.

(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Stephern Coates)