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

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

register products under an environmental ratings system that

will make them preferred in U.S. government purchasing, an

industry group said on Tuesday.

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 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.

"This now means our USA assembled and sustainably made solar

products will help the federal government achieve its ambitious

climate goals," Kelly Weger, Qcells' senior director of

sustainability, said in a statement.

First Solar ( FSLR ) has had EPEAT registered products since 2020.

The addition of Qcells to the registry satisfies a government

requirement that two manufacturers with at least three products

in a category are necessary to activate the Federal Acquisition

Regulation (FAR), a set of rules that guide government

purchasing.

The rules were updated last year to require federal buyers

to maximize their use of sustainable products, defined as

adhering to third-party standards outlined by the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA).

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.

Two First Solar ( FSLR ) products became the first to achieve a new

ultra-low carbon standard that addresses greenhouse gas

emissions during different stages of the manufacturing process,

the company said.

"As we add yet another differentiating factor that

separates our technology from the competition, we are reminded

that not all solar is created equal and that embodied carbon

remains a challenge for the solar industry," Samantha Sloan,

vice president of policy, sustainability and marketing at First

Solar ( FSLR ), said in a statement.

Producing panels in the U.S. helps lower the carbon

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

manufacturing facilities.

Several other manufacturers are in the process of getting

their solar panels registered under the standard, according to

GEC CEO Bob Mitchell.

"With the growing demand from global purchasers for

responsibly manufactured panels, we expect significant growth of

participating companies in the coming months," Mitchell said.