Mainz, October 29, 2008 – SCHOTT Solar AG has yet again demonstrated its development ability: The Company has increased the rated power output of its standard SCHOTT ASI 100 thin film module to 100 Watts. By doing so, SCHOTT Solar has developed the ASI technology even further in only five months. SCHOTT Solar presented the new SCHOTT ASI module format with stabilized rated power outputs between 87 and 95 Watts for the first time at Intersolar, the world’s largest solar industry trade fair. Due to the further development of the technology, more power from sunlight has been capable of being generated from April of this year on.

SCHOTT Solar brought the SCHOTT ASI format, with 1.4 m² module surface area, to the market in March 2008 as planned. Within a short period, however, the Company implemented the first increase in the efficiency of this thin film module. With this increase, the new product from the SCHOTT ASI series now exhibits a stabilized rated power output of 100 Watts.

Due to its good scattered light properties and the integrated switching elements, the SCHOTT ASI series is a perfect fit for roofs that are not optimally aligned to the south or have an extreme inclination. The robust aluminum frame makes the SCHOTT ASI modules particularly easy to install. The low working voltage of 17.5 Volts allows SCHOTT ASI modules to be efficiently switched in series, and they are especially suitable for applications that are remote from a mains supply, and also for 12 Volt systems. Delivery of the SCHOTT ASI 100 commences in October.

SCHOTT Solar produces the new SCHOTT ASI 100 in an ultra-modern facility at its Jena location. Around 75 million euros have been invested to date in this new thin film facility, which was first inaugurated in November 2007. This was an investment that is now starting to pay off. “The potential of thin film technology is nowhere near being exhausted. The fact that we could again increase the efficiency of our SCHOTT ASI 100 thin film module in such a short time confirms this belief, and we intend to continue to extend our thin film activities,” Prof. Dr.-Ing. Udo Ungeheuer, Chairman of SCHOTT’s Board of Management. The Company plans to raise the thin film module production capacity in Germany from around 33 megawatts (MW) a year to around 100 MW within the next few years.

Technical details of the new SCHOTT ASI 100:

• Rated power output: 100 Watts peak
• Voltage at rated output: 17.5 V
• Maximum system voltage: 1,000 V
• Weight: 18 kg
• Dimensions: 1,108 x 1,308 mm
• Frame height: 50 mm
• Connections: Tyco sockets with bypass diodes, Tyco plugs

Number of characters: 2.826 incl. spaces

SCHOTT ASI™ is a registered trademark of SCHOTT Solar AG.

More information on the Internet under www.schottsolar.de

This press release is also available under http://www.ffpress.net/Kunde/SOLE/

Press pictures can be downloaded at www.schott-pictures.net

About SCHOTT Solar:

SCHOTT Solar’s high quality products exploit the virtually inexhaustible potential of the sun as a renewable source of energy. For this purpose SCHOTT Solar produces important components for photovoltaic applications and solar energy plants with parabolic trough technology. In the photovoltaic industry, the company is one of the few integrated manufacturers of crystalline silicon wafers, solar cells and photovoltaic modules. Wafer production is mainly carried out through a WACKER SCHOTT Solar joint venture, which ensures the supply of silicon necessary for long-term growth. Thanks to over 20 years of experience in thin-film technology, SCHOTT Solar also regards itself as one of the industry’s cutting-edge companies. In receiver production for solar power plants with parabolic trough technology, SCHOTT Solar considers itself to be the market and technology leader. The receivers are key components in large-scale power plants that generate electricity from solar energy centrally on the basis of parabolic trough technology and can supply entire cities with power. SCHOTT Solar has production facilities in Germany, the Czech Republic, the USA and Spain. SCHOTT Solar’s innovative power and technological expertise date back to the late 1950s. The main shareholder of SCHOTT Solar AG is SCHOTT AG, Mainz. SCHOTT develops special materials, components and systems for the household appliance, pharmaceutical, solar energy, electronics, optical and automotive industries. With around 16,700 employees, the SCHOTT Group generated a worldwide turnover of about 2.1 billion euros in fiscal year 2006/2007.



Contacts:

 
SCHOTT Solar AG
Lars Waldmann    
Press and Public Relations
Phone:     +49 (0)6023 - 91 1811
Fax:     +49 (0)6023 - 91 1700
lars.waldmann@schott.com
www.schottsolar.de


Fink & Fuchs
Public Relations AG
Christina Rettig
Phone:     +49 (0)611 - 74131 934
Fax:     +49 (0)611 - 74131 21
christina.rettig@ffpr.de
www.ffpress.net