Mainz, October 30, 2008 – As part of “AFRIKA KOMMT!”, an advanced education program for future leaders from sub-Sahara Africa sponsored by German firms, SCHOTT, the technology group from Mainz, Germany, will be providing assistance to a mechanical engineer from Ghana. The objectives of the one-year program are to help young African candidates for management positions improve their qualifications, establish active networks for cooperation at the business level and intensify economic cooperation between companies from Germany and the 42 nations south of the Sahara.

Professor Udo Ungeheuer, Chairman of the Board of Management at SCHOTT, emphasized the significance of the project for the group. As he puts it, “The ‘AFRIKA KOMMT!’ program gives us the chance to live up to our social responsibility at the international level, as well. We are pleased to be able to provide assistance in developing technologies and markets where it is desperately needed. We’ll be transporting know-how into a region in which it will help support economic build-up efforts.” SCHOTT is already involved in other African aid projects, including provision of a solar-driven emergency power system for a hospital ward in Senegal that opened in October.

The recipient of the SCHOTT scholarship, Frederick Kenneth Appiah, is currently taking part in a company program that focuses mainly on solar. He will be experiencing wafer manufacturing at Wacker SCHOTT Solar in Jena and Alzenau and production of solar cells at SCHOTT Solar in Alzenau, as well as module manufacturing in Valašské Meziříčí, Czech Republic. One unique aspect about Appiah’s training program is that he will also be given the opportunity to obtain system-related expertise and skills in installing solar modules, because he will also be spending time with Energiebau Köln, a SCHOTT sales partner.

Renewable energy supplies are Appiah’s profession. He once worked for Ghana’s energy commission, Accrai, as a senior manager for the renewable energy program. He has also set high goals for himself. “I’ll be acting as a link between companies in order to support sales and exchanges, as well as the transfer of technologies and services.”

Today, Germany’s Federal President, Horst Köhler, invited the Chairmen and members of the boards of management of the 19 companies involved, the partner firms and the program participants to meet at the Office of the Federal President to discuss their joint plans.

SCHOTT is an international technology group that sees its core purpose as the lasting improvement of living and working conditions. To this end, the company has been developing special materials, components and systems for nearly 125 years. The main areas of focus are the household appliances industry, pharmaceuticals, solar energy, electronics, optics and the automotive industry. The SCHOTT Group is present in close proximity to its customers with production and sales companies in all its major markets. The Group’s approximately 16,700 employees generated worldwide sales of approximately 2.1 billion euros for its 2006/2007 fiscal year. The company's technological and economic expertise is closely linked with its social and ecological responsibility. The parent company of the SCHOTT Group is SCHOTT AG, whose sole shareholder is the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (Foundation).

Contact:

Klaus Hofmann
Tel.:     0049 (0)6131 / 66-3662
E-mail: klaus-bernhard.hofmann@schott.com

• 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

Dr. Nikolaus Benz and Dr. Thomas Kuckelkorn, both from SCHOTT Solar, a subsidiary of SCHOTT AG, have been nominated for the most important innovation prize in Germany, the ‘Federal President’s Prize for Innovation and Technology’. This was announced today by the Head of the Federal Presidential Office, Secretary of State Dr. Gert Haller, at a press conference in Berlin. Under the direction of Drs. Benz and Kuckelkorn, SCHOTT has developed a receiver for solar power plants that permits even more energy to be obtained from the sun. It also prepares the way for the exploitation of new and more efficient forms of this clean energy source. "We are very pleased with this nomination and view this as clear confirmation of the high power of innovation at SCHOTT in the field of solar energy," emphasized Chairman of the Management Board of SCHOTT AG, Professor Udo Ungeheuer.

Dr. Benz explains what lies behind the approach: “Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have calculated that in one hour, the sun sends enough energy to earth to cover all the energy needs of humankind for one year. For years, people have been attempting to utilize this potential on a large scale, including Concentrated Solar Power Technology (CSP). In this technology, the solar irradiation is trapped using large reflector surfaces, bundled, and then converted into usable energy. In the Earth's Sunbelt regions, this technology can make a breakthrough possible, by largely freeing us from our dependence on fossil fuels. This assumes, however, that electricity can be produced in solar generating plants just as economically as in conventional power plants. Our receivers move the CSP technology a giant step forwards, so that in the future the human race will be able to cover a larger part of its energy needs with clean electrical power.”

This is possible due to the fact that the receivers are core components in parabolic trough power stations. Their quality has a considerable effect on how much solar energy can be converted into electricity by the plant. Under the leadership of Benz and Kuckelkorn, SCHOTT has developed a receiver that markedly increases the efficiency of solar power plants, and thus can make a considerable contribution to the environmentally friendly generation of energy. The details that make this SCHOTT innovation so special can be found on the prize’s website (www.deutscher-zukunftspreis.de).

Dr. Martin Heming, President of SCHOTT Solar AG, congratulates the nominees thus: “Even being nominated is in itself a great honor, since one cannot apply. In fact, a jury composed of renowned experts proposes the four candidates. We are particularly delighted that our developers are among the few nominees, and we’re crossing our fingers for both Dr. Benz and Dr. Kuckelkorn. The nomination also shows that SCHOTT has a highly motivated and highly professional research and development team, and that our innovations represent, at the international level, the state of the art in technology.”

Federal president Horst Koehler will announce the winner of the ‘Federal President’s Prize for Innovation and Technology’ on December 3, 2008 in Berlin. Each year, the prize, worth 250,000 euro, recognizes ‘technical, engineering or scientific innovations’.

3561 characters incl. spaces

 
About SCHOTT


SCHOTT is an international technology group that sees its core purpose as the lasting improvement of living and working conditions. To this end, the company has been developing special materials, components and systems for nearly 125 years. The main areas of focus are the household appliances industry, pharmaceuticals, solar energy, electronics, optics and the automotive industry. The SCHOTT Group is present in close proximity to its customers with production and sales companies in all its major markets. The Group’s approximately 16,700 employees generate worldwide sales of approximately 2.1 billion euros. The company's technological and economic expertise is closely linked with its social and ecological responsibility. The parent company of the SCHOTT Group is SCHOTT AG, whose sole shareholder is the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung (Foundation).  

Contact

Klaus Hofmann
phone +49 (0)6131/66-3662

klaus-bernhard.hofmann@schott.com

• Senegalese Minister for Renewable Energies attends official opening ceremony for successful project in Casamance
• Project partners SCHOTT Solar AG, SMA Solar Technology AG and KAÏTO Energie AG continue work in this field
• Electricity is the basic prerequisite for building an economic structure in rural Africa

Baila/Mainz/Niestetal/Munich, October 20, 2008 – SCHOTT Solar, SMA and KAÏTO have successfully completed their pilot project in Africa: the first solar emergency power system for a hospital in Senegal was officially started up on October 18, together with the village community in Baïla. The investments made by the three companies involved were deliberately selected from a field that is part of the core businesses of these companies: solar energy. Due to its high incidence of solar radiation, the African continent is an attractive, new market for solar power companies, although it still requires considerable development. The project partners have just succeeded in taking the first step in the right direction and have established important contacts. Further projects are already in the planning.

The guests of honor at the opening ceremony included the Senegalese Minister for Renewable Energies, Prof. Christian Sina Diatta, as well as a number of representatives from German institutions. The participation of these political figures and the conclusion that the project partners have come to underscore the significance of this event: they plan to continue their work in Senegal and to invest in building a solar market. In this first project, SCHOTT Solar and SMA joined forces with KAÏTO Energie AG. KAÏTO has already been developing and investing in business-oriented projects in the Senegalese province of Casamance for several years. Together, the companies selected a project in Casamance. “As an important local provider of medical care, it is essential for the hospital in Baïla to have a stable power supply. After all, the staff as well as the patients there must be able to rely on having light and using technical equipment,” said Dr. Martin Heming, CEO of SCHOTT Solar AG, explaining this decision. To guarantee this for the future, SCHOTT Solar has donated photovoltaic modules and SMA a so-called Sunny back-up system to the hospital in Baïla. “Our Sunny back-up system is a valuable addition to the photovoltaic power system because, in the event of a power failure, it switches the system to the stand-alone power supply, making the hospital able to operate independently of the existing, but very unreliable power grid,” commented Michael Wollny, Island Systems project manager at SMA Solar Technology AG.

A win-win situation all around

“Electricity is the basic prerequisite for sustainable development in Africa,” said Wolfgang Hofstätter, CEO of KAÏTO Energie AG, and continued: “Without electricity, it is very difficult to create added value anywhere to allow new local companies to grow. Sustainable development like this requires a functioning infrastructure. And electricity is the basis.” Both Senegal and the companies involved benefit from the investment made in the solar energy supply in Africa. After all, the more rapidly the African economy can develop, the more demand there will be there for renewable energies. “We are helping the African market to develop by already supporting its economic structure today,” Heming said. The companies involved are firmly convinced that this project will be more than a lighthouse project. That is why there are more such projects already in the planning. Among other things, KAÏTO is planning to build a chain of village energy kiosks, which will be operated by local small businessmen in a franchise system. Each kiosk will be equipped with a central PV recharging station for such battery-operated devices as lamps and cell phones. The operators will provide information on energy efficiency and supplementary solutions, sell PV consumer goods, spare parts and energy-saving appliances and offer simple installation services.

No. of characters: 4,114 characters incl. spaces

More information available at www.schottsolar.de

Press images ready for downloading can be found at www.schott-pictures.net

You will also find this press release at:

www.ffpress.net/Kunde/SOL/

About the project partners:

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. SCHOTT Solar AG is a wholly owned subsidiary of the international SCHOTT technology group. 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.

SMA Solar Technology AG

With sales amounting to €327m (2007), SMA is the world’s market leader in photovoltaic inverters, a central component in every solar power system. The SMA Group has its head offices in Niestetal near Kassel, Germany, and is represented by foreign subsidiaries in eight countries on four continents around the world. The corporate group employs more than 2,500 employees (incl. temporary employees). SMA produces a wide range of inverter models for every type of photovoltaic module used and all sizes of photovoltaic systems. The product portfolio includes inverters for on-grid solar power installations as well as for stand-alone systems.

KAÏTO

KAÏTO Energie AG invests in modern infrastructure for rural electrification. Different types of power generators drawing on renewable energies were developed in villages to provide power on a widespread scale. Based on solar-powered energy kiosks and individual installations, regional networks (AC mini grids) are created that gain their energy from local sources like the sun and biomass. KAÏTO operates all the systems independently with a local workforce.

KAÏTO Projekt GmbH specialises in sustainable investments in West Africa. KAÏTO offers customised project development and investment consultancy services to companies that are investing in Africa themselves, or would like to become involved in actual projects. All projects foster rural development and comply with sustainability criteria.

KAÏTO has had its own subsidiary in Senegal since July 2008.

Contact:

SCHOTT Solar GmbH

Lars Waldmann

Press and Public Relations

Tel: +49 (0)6023 - 91 1811

Fax: +49 (0)6023 - 91 1700

lars.waldmann@schott.com

www.schottsolar.de

KAÏTO Projekt GmbH

Heidi Schiller

Managing Director

Tel: +49 (0)89 5454 6147

Fax: +49 (0)89 5454 6152

heidi.schiller@kaito-afrika.de

www.kaito-afrika.de

SMA SolarTechnology A

Michael Wollny

Director Sales Off-Grid Solutions

Tel: +49 (0)561 9522-4122

Fax: +49 (0)561 9522-100

Michael.Wollny@SMA.de

www.SMA.de

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

Mainz, 7 October 2008 – Recent weeks have seen SCHOTT Solar continue to secure important major contracts in promising solar thermal power plant markets: SCHOTT Solar CSP GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of SCHOTT Solar AG, signed contracts for the supply of more than 65,000 receivers to the Middle East and the USA. The recently approved Investment Tax Credits for renewable energies in the US yield additional planning security for future CSP projects. In addition to that the company recently announced a contract for the supply of 80,000 receivers to a Spanish customer for projects in Southern Europe, the single biggest order ever filed by the CSP business.

“These contracts impressively illustrate our leading position in the CSP area. At the same time, these contracts in three important growth regions highlight the international importance of SCHOTT Solar CSP GmbH as the leading manufacturer of a key component of solar thermal power plants using parabolic trough technology,” said Dr. Martin Heming, CEO of SCHOTT Solar AG.

The planned project in the Middle East has the potential to send a signal to the entire region which today relies almost exclusively on fossil fuels for electricity generation. However, the region is not only rich in oil and gas resources but, at 1,975 kWh/m², also benefits from an average annual insolation which is almost twice as high as in Germany.

The sun-belt regions of the USA offer highly attractive conditions for solar thermal power plants as well. The solar power plants installed in the early eighties in California’s Mojave desert have long demonstrated that parabolic trough technology is well capable of delivering steady and dependable energy yields on a sustainable basis. A few months ago, the launch of the 64 Megawatt "Nevada Solar One" power plant near Las Vegas marked an impressive renaissance of this technology, demonstrating the scalability and attractiveness of solar thermal power plants. In Addition, Florida Power & Light Company recently announced its plan to construct a “Hybrid” Energy Center coupling solar thermal technology with an existing combined-cycle power plant. The receivers for this energy center will be supplied by SCHOTT Solar.

Further dynamics for new CSP projects in the US arise from the recently approved governmental support for renewable energies. By the end of last week President George W. Bush and the House passed the proposal for the prolongation of the so called Investment Tax Credits (ITC) which had been submitted by the Senat shortly before. The supportive scheme for solar projects now has a duration of eight years and will provide a fundamental additional planning and realisation security especially for the CSP market.  

Number of characters including empty spaces: 2.976

Further information is available under www.schottsolar.de

Press photographs for downloading can be found under www.schott-pictures.net

About SCHOTT Solar AG:

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.

Contact:

         
Lars Waldmann               
Presse und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit   
Tel:     +49 (0)6023 - 91 1811       
Fax:     +49 (0)6023 - 91 1700       
lars.waldmann@schott.com       
www.schottsolar.de

Alzenau, August 8, 2008 – SCHOTT Solar GmbH plans a major extension of solar cell production capacity at its Alzenau facility. Administrative departments will in future be concentrated at its new company headquarters in Mainz.

“Undertaking these measures will create the necessary space for further expansion” says Dr. Martin Heming, Chief Executive Officer, when explaining the background. According to current planning, the Alzenau facility will more than double its solar cell production capacity by September 30, 2011.
Along with the present research and development activities at the facility, it will continue to play an important and unchanged role as a technical competence center for SCHOTT Solar. At the same time, existing land at the SCHOTT complex in Mainz will be used to incorporate the SCHOTT Solar administrative departments into a new company headquarters being built there. Construction of the new Mainz company headquarters should be completed by the end of 2009.

More information on the Internet at www.schottsolar.de

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

You will also find this press release at http://www.ffpress.net/Kunde/SOLE/

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, cells and 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. SCHOTT Solar GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of the international SCHOTT technology group. 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.

Further information:
SCHOTT Solar GmbH
Lars Waldmann
Press and Public Relations
Tel:     +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
Tel:     +49 (0)611 - 74131 934
Fax:     +49 (0)611 - 74131 21
christina.rettig@ffpr.de
www.ffpress.net

• EPIA is world’s largest photovoltaic association
• Political work in foreground

Alzenau, July 31, 2008 – The members of EPIA, the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, have elected SCHOTT Solar’s Managing Director Michael Harre to their Board. At their General Assembly in Aix les Bains, France, Mr. Harre was elected as one of two new Board Members at the end of June. The EPIA Board has the task of representing the solar sector at a political level and driving forward technical harmonization of the global photovoltaic industry through the use of international standards. The European Photovoltaic Industry Association elects its Board every two years.

“I am delighted with the trust that has been placed in me and I am looking forward to the new challenges associated with this honorary appointment. The EPIA contributes considerably to the growth of the sector by representing the interests of the European photovoltaic industry at the regional, European and global levels, and furthering development of the market through joint activities” comments Harre on his election as an EPIA Board Member.

Michael Harre was appointed Managing Director of SCHOTT Solar GmbH in May of this year and also represents the Sales and Marketing Department as CSO. He became a member of the SCHOTT Solar management team in October 2002 when he took up a position as worldwide Sales and Marketing Department Manager. As a manager at SCHOTT AG, Mr. Harre has been involved in the photovoltaic market since the year 2000. He intends to bring his experience gained in the course of his career to bear in his EPIA Board activities.

EPIA is the world’s largest industry association for the solar energy market. The association serves to promote photovoltaics at the national, European and worldwide levels as well as supporting its members in developing their companies within the European Union and in export markets. Today EPIA has over 170 members.

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

You will also find this press release at www.ffpress.net/Kunde/SOLE/

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, cells and 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. SCHOTT Solar GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of the international SCHOTT technology group. 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.

SCHOTT Solar GmbH
Lars Waldmann
Press and Public Relations
tel. +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
tel. +49 (0)611 - 74131 934
fax +49 (0)611 - 74131 21
christina.rettig@ffpr.de
www.ffpress.net

• ICP Solar Canada, Premier Solar India and the Finnish manufacturer of mobile accessoires Iqua added to the well-known list of customers
• OEM thin-film cells from SCHOTT Solar are powerful lightweights in a variety of designs

Alzenau, July 29 – The number of solar product manufacturers that make use of the thin-film technology from SCHOTT Solar in their products continues to grow. As an OEM partner, SCHOTT Solar is currently signing contracts to deliver its products with leading companies all over the world and, thus, strengthening its market position even further. Only recently, the company reached agreements on long-term partnerships with the Finnish manufacturer of mobile accessoires, Iqua, as well as with ICP Solar Canada and Premier Solar in India. The high quality and flexibility of the cells were said to be the main reasons why these companies decided in favor of the raw modules from SCHOTT Solar. They are extremely thin and light, yet feature high power density and can be cut into essentially any shape. Depending on the application, these cells can be combined in a flexible manner so that they ultimately generate different voltages and currents. This means they fulfill all of the prerequisites for both indoor and outdoor use, in mobile or stationary solar power plant installations, for example.

The Indian manufacturer Premier Solar Systems uses SCHOTT Solar ASI OEM thin-film cells to operate off-grid water pumps, street lights and room lights, for example. The products from ICP Solar Canada, in turn, provide solar power inside mobile homes, on boats, in remotely located houses and in farming. Thanks to this partnership, the Canadian manufacturer is capable of producing substantially lighter, more durable solar power devices than ever before that even provide 25 percent higher output. The Finnish company Iqua uses OEM cells from SCHOTT Solar to manufacture the world’s very first solar-driven headsets and hands-free car kits for the consumer market. Gardena, the gardening tool manufacturer based in Ulm, Germany, is also a SCHOTT Solar customer. Among other things, Gardena relies on thin-film cells to operate solar-driven pumps for ponds and watering computers.

SCHOTT Solar plans to engage in long-term supply agreements with international solar product manufacturers. The advantages of the thin-film technology, including flexible and wide-ranging application possibilities, as well as high product quality and performance, predestine these solar cells for use in securing the power supply far from the grid. In this way, SCHOTT Solar gains access to the huge potential that modern solar technology solutions have to offer.

Number of characters including empty spaces: 2,729

Further information is available under www.schottsolar.de

Press photographs for downloading can be found under www.schott-pictures.net

You can also find this press release under www.ffpress.net/Kunde/SOLE/

SCHOTT Solar, with its high quality products, enables the potential of the sun as a nearly inexhaustible source of energy to be utilized. And it’s for exactly that reason that SCHOTT Solar produces important components for photovoltaic applications and solar energy plants. In the photovoltaic industry, the company is one of the few integrated manufacturers of crystalline silicon wafers, cells and modules. The production of the wafers is ensured by the WACKER SCHOTT Solar joint venture, which also secures the supply of silicon, enabling long-term growth. In thin-film technology, SCHOTT Solar also describes itself as an advanced supplier due to having over twenty years of experience. And in the production of receivers for solar power plants, SCHOTT Solar sees itself as a 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 are able to supply entire cities with power. SCHOTT Solar has production facilities in Germany, the Czech Republic, the USA and Spain. The innovative power and technological competence of the company date back to the late 1950s. SCHOTT Solar GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of the international SCHOTT technology group. 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.

SCHOTT Solar GmbH
Lars Waldmann
Press and Public Relations
tel. +49 (0)6023 - 91 1811
fax +49 (0)6023 - 91 1700
lars.waldmann@schott.com

Fink & Fuchs
Public Relations AG
Christina Rettig
tel. +49 (0)611 - 74131 934
fax +49 (0)611 - 74131 21
christina.rettig@ffpr.de