Europe, 29th July 2010 – SUKM began producing solar cell modules in the spring of 2004, becoming Sharp´s second international production base for solar cell modules following a facility in the US. To meet the growing demand for solar cells, SUKM’´s production capacity will be gradually increased, starting December 2010, from the current level of 250 MW per year to 500 MW by February 2011.

Sharp, Wrexham

The solar cell market is expected to see expansion on a global basis, spurred on by environmental government policies in countries around the world. Sharp began research into solar cells in 1959 and since then has built up technologies and know-how as well as earned a reputation for reliability. Based on these achievements, Sharp is currently expanding its solar cell business from two sides-crystalline solar cells and thin-film solar cells. Sharp is also pushing forward with a “local production for local consumption” approach in order to increase cost competitiveness and shorten delivery times.

Sharp is aiming to become a company that provides total solutions in the field of solar power by globally expanding its new business model, which includes solar cell development, solar cell sales, and running a power generation business.

Source: Sharp

Venlo, 29. Juli 2010 – Recently Free-Power, located in Clermont-Ferrand, France and Scheuten Solar France officially opened a roof integrated PV-system consisting of over 1,800 solar modules. The system with a power output exceeding 380 kWp was realized in the Auvergne region in France. To date this PV power plant is the largest one realized in this region of France. Hundreds of guests and local authorities attended the event which received extensive
press coverage.

Freepower und Scheuten Solar realisieren Indachsolaranlage in Frankreich

The Scheuten Solar Multisol® P6-54 modules integrated in the roof are covering approximately 2.900 m². The system accounts for an annual reduction of 200 tons of CO2 emission. “This project is the result of a fruitful cooperation with Scheuten Solar France over the past 1.5 years. With another 15 MW of projects in the pipeline over the next 1.5 year, we rely on Scheuten Solar France for their support and quality of their modules”, stated Elise Duclos, CEO Free- Power.

“Taking into account the French 3K culture this project is a large one according to French standards. Therefore I’m happy that Scheuten Solar had the opportunity to take part in this project. It proves that our partnership with Free-Power is a fruitful one and that projects of this scale can be realized in France”, stated Christian Bergmans, Business Unit Manager Scheuten Solar France.

Source: Scheuten Solar

Reutlingen, 27. Juli 2010 – At a joint press conference today, July 27, 2010 in Schwäbisch Hall, Manz Automation AG and Würth Solar GmbH & Co. KG provided background information on their strategic alliance in the field of CIGS production technology. Manz automation AG, a world leading technology supplier in the photovoltaic and flat panel display industry has signed a “know-how licensing and cooperation contract” with Würth Solar giving Manz the exclusive right to use the CIGS production technology of Würth Solar. Manz is now the only supplier worldwide able to offer an integrated and fully productive production line for CIGS thin-film modules that can be operated economically.

The capital required for the acquisition of the licence is, according to Dieter Manz, CEO of Manz Automations AG, a one time payment of 30 million Euros that was made when the contract was signed followed by a further 20 million Euros payable before the first CIGSfab goes into operation. This will be followed by turnover based payments calculated according to megawatt sold of production capacity. The transaction will be financed by own capital reserves, external capital as well as the cash flow resulting form the extended business model.

Technology Tried and Tested: Highly Efficient and Maximum Investment Security

At the press conference Dieter Manz announced that “in future Manz Automation will be offering CIGS production lines for thin-film modules with the highest degree of efficiency currently at 12.8 percent on an aperture surface of 600 x 1.200 mm”. The company located in Reutlingen is building on the successful technology of Würth Solar, a pioneer and innovation leader in its field. Moreover, Manz is securing exclusive access to the tried and tested CIGS production technology of Würth Solar. By integrating the current production line of Würth Solar, Manz will become the only supplier to have access to a 30 MW reference factory which has been successfully operating on a 24/7 basis since 2006. In addition, Manz Automation is set to benefit from the partnership in place between Würth Solar and the “Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg” (ZSW), a scientific center for solar and hydrogen research. The alliance with Würth Solar grants Manz access to the results of research carried out by ZSW on CIGS glass modules.

“By bundling know-how in a cooperation contract unique to the world we will be able to deliver fully integrated production lines to thin-film producers. In future, these will boast the lowest costs ever in the manufacture of turnkey thin-film lines. We will also present our customers with credible technology as well as a roadmap of the costs involved. This guarantees maximum protection on investment in new thin-film factories. We will bring the CIGS technology to a breakthrough, and open up an enormous market potential”, commented Dieter Manz, CEO of Manz Automation AG.

In addition to the years of knowledge in the development and production of thin-film Würth Solar is contributing to the cooperation, Manz Automation will draw on 20 man-years of Würth’s ramp up expertise and assistance in all stages from planning to realization as well as the initial operation of production lines. The experience of the trained staff at Würth Solar will alleviate the implementation of the project considerably. The CISfab in Schwäbisch Hall will also be available in the future for the further development of production technology and the qualification of new processes and materials.

Unique Cooperation: Manz Automation Makes CIGS an Industry Standard

The management of both companies involved agree on the enormous impact of the agreement entered. “A cooperation between a world leading mechanical engineering company, a leading module manufacturer in CIGS thin-film as well as the leading research institute ZSW in Baden-Württemberg is, in this form, unique and will assist in the breakthrough of CIGS technology. We are convinced that this cooperation will enable us to tap into enormous market potential”, said Dieter Manz.

Source: Manz Automation AG

Hamburg, July 21, 2010 – COLEXON Energy AG has secured a 7.2 MWp solar energy system portfolio in the Czech Republic. The EnerCap Power Fund is the investor for the 20 million EUR project.

COLEXON Energy AG

In May of this year, COLEXON started with the construction of the 7.2 MWp solar project portfolio in the Czech Republic. “We have already successfully carried out projects in France, Italy and the USA,” Thorsten Preugschas, CEO and Chairperson of COLEXON, summed up. “We are expanding our international project business successively to reduce our dependence on national subsidy models. We are pleased that we can now implement a large portfolio in the Czech Republic, because the Eastern European solar energy market is very significant in this development due to its attractive framework conditions,” Mr. Preugschas continued.

Profitable Portfolio

The Czech project covers a total area of 200,000 m2. It is being built with thin film modules from the market leader First Solar and a Schletter mounting system. The portfolio comprises three free field installations which will produce approximately 6.8 GWh electricity per year. Equivalently a coal fired power plant would generate approximately 7,200 tons of CO2 for the production of this electricity. These emissions can be avoided through the PV power plant.

Partnership with Perspectives

The contract volume of the project is more than 20 million EUR. Financing is secured by the EnerCap Power Fund and UniCredit Bank Austria AG The EnerCap Power Fund is a private equity fund focused on investments in renewable energy and high efficiency projects in Central and South-eastern Europe. Investors include the EIB, EBRD and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation. The Fund is managed by Prague based EnerCap Capital Partners. EnerCap sees in the facilities, which will be built in the Czech cities Mimon, Tocnik and Lomecek, a very promising basis for implementation of further joint photovoltaic projects. “EnerCap and COLEXON have built up a strong and trustworthy partnership over the past months. The concluded EPC and O&M agreements create a solid basis for good performance in the current projects as well as a perspective for the future,” according to Michael White, Partner at EnerCap Capital Partners.

Source: COLEXON AG

Munich, 15. Juli 2010 – Siemens has signed a partnership agreement for cooperation in the renewable energy sector with the two Russian companies Rostechnologii and RusHydro. The three companies will establish the joint venture “wind energy” where Siemens will retain the majority stake. The planned joint venture is to set up production facilities for wind turbine components for the Russian market and will also be responsible for sales and service of Siemens wind turbines in Russia and other countries.

“This strategic partnership will put us out front on the highly-promising market for renewable energy in Russia”, states René Umlauft, CEO of the Renewable Energy Division of Siemens. Russia is planning to have a wind power capacity of approximately 5000 megawatts installed by 2020. “In the coming five years we intend to install wind turbines with a total capacity of 250 to 500 megawatts per year.”

With this joint venture in Russia, Siemens is pushing determinedly ahead with the regionalization of the manufacturing network on important markets. In the current year alone Siemens will bring three further factories for production of wind turbine components on line in the USA and in China. Other production facilities are planned for India and Great Britain.

Wind energy is part of Siemens’ Environmental Portfolio. In fiscal 2009, revenue from the Portfolio totaled about EUR23 billion, making Siemens the world’s largest supplier of ecofriendly technologies. In the same period, the company’s products and solutions enabled customers to reduce their CO2 emissions by 210 million tons. This amount equals the combined annual CO2 emissions of New York, Tokyo, London and Berlin.

Source: Siemens AG

Venlo, 15. Juli 2010 – Scheuten Solar has implemented three turnkey PV systems consisting of a total of 4,380 photovoltaic (PV) modules for WDP (Warehouses de Pauw). As well as an EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) contract, a Support & Maintenance contract has been signed. The systems have been installed at three different WDP warehouses in Vilvoorde, Aalst and Zele, Belgium.

WDP is Belgium‟s market leader as well as a prominent player in the European logistics axis of Rotterdam-Brussels-Antwerp-Lille-Paris. WDP is quoted on the NYSE Euronext stock exchange. With a total output of almost 1 MWp, the solar modules have been installed on three different roofs. The Scheuten Solar Industrial Line modules were installed on a lightweight aluminium support structure. The installation accounts for an annual reduction in CO2 emissions of approximately 450 tonnes. This results in the installation making a significant contribution towards the sustainable nature of WDP.

“Thanks to the flexibility of Scheuten Solar we were able to have the systems up and running within two-and-a-half months from the moment we signed the contract to fulfilment”, stated Dirk van Buggenhout, WDP Project Manager. As a pioneer in the field of sustainable construction in semi-logistics real estate, WDP wants to continue to develop its role as a forerunner and achieve a CO2-neutral portfolio in a profitable way by the end of 2012. By means of this project, WDP is aiming to respond to the increasingly fervent demand from industry, society and policymakers to fulfil the „Europe 2020‟ target to work hard on an effective reduction of CO2 emissions.

Marco Iacovella, Sales Manager Projects, Scheuten Solar: “We are able to respond quickly to projects like the one offered to us by WDP. Naturally our primary goal is to deliver the highest quality and service, and the result is very satisfactory. The systems are already connected to the grid and up and running ahead of schedule thanks to smooth cooperation with WDP. I hope these projects are the starting point for further cooperation with this partner.”

Source: Scheuten Solar

Freudenstadt, 09. Juli 2010 – Robert Bürkle GmbH starts with good news into the second half of the year: already in June the line manufacturer finished short-time work in all business units having lasted 13 months in total. The reason is the continuously increasing receipt of orders since beginning of the year which culminates in 42 million Euros by 30th June 2010. This order value is three times higher than in the previous year and also higher than in the first two quarters of the booming years 2007 and 2008.

Bürkle-Chef Hans-Joachim Bender

„Consequently, the planned sales target of more than 85 million Euros for 2010 is realistic to achieve“, says Bürkle chief Hans-Joachim Bender. After the economic crisis in 2009 this would mean a gain in turnover of more than 30 per cent. Bender expects to be able to follow the record year 2008 in which the turnover was 115 million Euros, in 2012 at the latest.

An important business sector of the specialist for press and coating technologies is still the business unit “surfaces” which contributes 35 per cent of the total turnover, subsumed in the turnovers of the derived timber board, glass, automotive and graphical industry. These industries finish substrates with liquid coatings or print them digitally on Bürkle machines. The latest development is a coating line being used in the advertising industry. Here Bürkle adapts a technology of business unit “surfaces” which has been developed over decades. Also in the press technology there are currently developed some new innovations. Another novelty is the successes of the subsidiary Fiber Engineering GmbH in Karlsruhe. The company will deliver the first order to the USA this summer, a line for the manufacture of recyclable fibre moulded parts for the automotive industry.

30 per cent are earned by the pioneer of multi-opening technology in the recent business unit “photovoltaics”. More than 60 sold lines of the brand Ypsator and single-opening laminators have been recorded since market entry three years ago. In the third business unit “plastic cards and multilayer” Bürkle gained 15 per cent of the turnover, whereas the first large order in the amount of two million Euros for complete card body manufacturing equipment has been delivered to Mexico since the product portfolio of PCU was taken over in 2008. The manufacturing line produces ID cards. Bender is also pleased that more and more Asian customers are currently placing orders for lines for the manufacture of multilayers. “Our activities and investments at our site in Shanghai are paying off”, says the managing partner.

Finally the sector service and spare parts with 20 per cent contributes to an increasing extent that Bürkle comes off strongly of the crisis. This trend proves the importance of the installation and maintenance business apart from sole selling of a line, since: “Customers want to produce effectively and without standstills in order to save costs and stay competitive”, clarifies Bender.

In 2010 Bürkle wants to keep the number of employees at 480 at the sites in Freudenstadt and Mastholte. “We have not dismissed anybody during the crisis and we would like to achieve good results with our well-cooperating team in 2010”, explains Bender who is engaged in the managing board of the VDMA sector photovoltaics and wood-processing machines. For its innovative processes and developments Bürkle is rewarded with the Top 100 Award again this year.

Source: Robert Bürkle GmbH

Venlo, 09. Juli 2010 – Scheuten Solar has realised a turnkey PV-system consisting of 1,500 photovoltaic (PV) panels for “Entsorgung Herne”. Besides an EPC-contract (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) an operation & maintenance contract was signed. Yesterday, the system was officially opened with the presence of local press and authorities of the city Herne.

Scheuten Solar: Solarprojekt - Herne Entsorgung

Entsorgung Herne (founded in 1907) provides waste management and cleaning services for the city of Herne, Germany. The solar panels with a total output of over 330 kWp are installed on five different roofs with a combined roof surface of over 4000 m². Given the limitations of the structure of the roof the solar modules were installed on a lightweight aluminum support structure. The installation accounts for a reduction of 150 tons of CO2 emission. With this the installation contributes significantly to the sustainable character of Entsorgung Herne.

Scheuten Solar realized the system within two months from start to end. An aerodynamic housing around the Scheuten Solar Industrial Line modules reduces lifting forces and ensures the required structural stability of the system. Ad Verbaas, Director Project Realization: “The system was already operationally connected to the grid ahead of the time schedule. The realization ran without problems thanks to a good cooperation with Entsorgung Herne.”

Source: Scheuten Solar

Munich, 08. Juli 2010 – Siemens Energy has received its first order from the Czech Republic for the turnkey construction of a large ground-based photovoltaic plant. The customer is the construction company D.P.E.S. s.r.o. based in Prague. The plant, with a rating of 4 megawatts peak (MWp), will be erected in Dobré Pole, around 50 kilometers south of Brno, the second-largest city in the Czech Republic. After completion, scheduled for end of 2010, the solar power plant will provide nearly 1,000 households in the Czech Republic with environmentally friendly power.

As the general contractor, Siemens is responsible for the turnkey construction, engineering and project management of the photovoltaic power plant in Dobré Pole. The scope of supply includes the full balance of plant range with Siemens components, such as inverters, transformers, medium-voltage equipment as well as the control system.

“This first order from the Czech Republic underlines once again that we are on the right track with our photovoltaic plants business,” said René Umlauft, CEO of the Renewable Energy Division. “As a full-range supplier with convincing project management we expect further orders for medium-sized photovoltaic power plants in the future.”

Photovoltaic plants are part of the Siemens environmental portfolio with which the company earned revenues of nearly EUR23 billion in fiscal 2009. This makes Siemens the world’s largest provider of environmentally compatible technology. In the same period, the company’s products and solutions enabled customers to reduce their CO2 emission by 210 million tons. This amount equals the combined annual CO2 emissions of New York, Tokyo, London and Berlin.

Source: Siemens AG

Hamburg, July 07, 2010 – COLEXON Energy AG has developed an innovative mounting system, especially suitable for solar power plants on flat roofs made of lightweight materials. The COLEXON SYSTEM C+Z  is TÜV certified and specially designed for thin film modules from market leader First Solar.

Rooftop solar power plants have gained in importance owing to the planned reductions in free field subsidies. The COLEXON engineers have taken this into account in the development of the new TÜV certified COLEXON SYSTEM C+Z. “It was important for us to create a universal solution for mounting solar power plants, which can be optimally adjusted to the conditions of industrial and hall roofs. Thus, additional market potential opens up as solar power plants may also be installed on roofs which cannot support a heavy load“, explains Thorsten Preugschas, CEO of COLEXON Energy AG.

The inclination angle of the COLEXON SYSTEM C+Z between 0° and 30° is determined prior to construction, depending on the installation. The elements of the system are adjusted on-site to the condition of the roof and are easy to assemble and disassemble. Special tools are unnecessary so the very light system (from 2.00 kg/per module) may be easily moved e.g. in case of roof repairs. The system is fixed by foil bonding and without any roof penetration. If necessary, the connection can also be reinforced with screws. The open construction allows an optimal air flow so no heat can accumulate below the modules.

COLEXON has already successfully implemented the system for the solar power plants Belzig (980 kWp), Solog (400 kWp), and Glomm (100 kWp).

Source: COLEXON AG