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Bonn, February 17, 2008: Prince Albert II of Monaco will visit SolarWorld AG on Thursday as part of his state visit to Germany. Accompanied by the Prime Minister of Saxony, Georg Milbradt, the Monegasque Head of State will view the modern manufacturing facilities of the SolarWorld Group in Freiberg at his explicit request. “We are looking forward to making Prince Albert of Monaco familiar with the shine of advanced solar power technology”, elaborates Dipl.-Ing. Frank H. Asbeck, Chairman and CEO of SolarWorld AG.
Prince Albert and SolarWorld to Discuss Development Cooperation between Monaco and the SolarWorld Group
In addition to visiting the silicon wafer and solar cell production facilities the Prince will talk to the SolarWorld management about cooperation projects for the use of solar technology in developing countries. „Two billion people worldwide have no access to the power grid. Solar energy is often the only chance for these people to obtain electrical lighting, to refrigerate medicines or to operate water pumps. We hope to be able to promote new projects for the dissemination of solar technology in developing countries in cooperation with the Principality”, continues the head of SolarWorld, Frank H. Asbeck.
As part of the ”Solar2World“ program, SolarWorld Group has been making solar modules available since 2007 for selected projects primarily in Africa. Thus, an orphanage in Malawi, a drinking water project in Kenya and a hospital in Congo are receiving solar power modules from SolarWorld AG.
Prince Albert II of Monaco created a foundation for climate, species and water protection in June 2006 after having pushed through the signing of the Kyoto Protocol in the previous year. Since he came into office in April 2005 CO2 emissions in the city state have been significantly reduced. The Principality is also pursuing ambitious targets in development aid whose expenditure the government wants to increase by 25 per cent annually. In 20 developing countries, above all in Africa, Monaco is funding projects to improve education, health and environmental protection. Thus a project against malnutrition is financed in Senegal, twelve water pumps were built in Mali and children in need are supported in Morocco.
About SolarWorld Group: The SolarWorld AG Group (ISIN: DE0005108401) is a world leader in high quality solar power technology. The company is dedicated exclusively to the core business of solar energy, combining all stages of the solar value chain, from the raw material silicon to turn-key solar power plants. SolarWorld is represented in all the world’s solar growth markets and operates production facilities in Germany and the USA: In California, the largest production site in the USA for solar modules, and in Oregon the largest production site in the USA for solar wafers and solar cells are being created. In Freiberg in Germany the group operates one of the world’s most advanced integrated solar production facilities. These facilities supply the SolarWorld AG sales offices in Germany, Spain, the USA, South Africa and Singapore. In South Korea, SolarWorld AG is currently building up a solar module production facility in order to be able to serve the growing demand in Asia on the spot in the future. The central element of the business in addition to the sale of turn-key solar systems and solar modules to the trade is the distribution of solar silicon wafers to the international solar cell industry. Apart from grid-coupled (on-grid) products the SolarWorld Group also sells off-grid solar power solutions that make an important contribution to the sustainable economic development of threshold and developing countries. Under the name Solar2World the group has pooled its ethical commitment to solar power especially in developing countries.
SolarWorld AG employs more than 2,000 people worldwide. At the stock market the company is listed among others in the technology index TecDAX, in the ÖkoDAX, in the Dow Jones STOXX 600, in the international MSCI index as well as in the sustainability indices DAXglobal Alternative Energy and NAI.
Contact:
SolarWorld / Investor Relations / Marketing Communications
Tel.-No.: +49 228 55920 -470; Fax-No.: +49 228 55920-9470,
E-mail: placement(at)solarworld.de
Internet: www.solarworld.de
SolarWorld USA / Anne Schneider / PR & Marketing
4650 Adohr Lane
Camarillo, CA 93012
Mobile: +1 805 4447425
Office: +1 805 3886285
Fax: +1 805 388 6395
a.schneider(at)solarworld-usa.com
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