SolarWorld No.1 Racer to Start in the Long Beach Grand Prix
Camarillo, April 17th, 2008 - The solar racer SolarWorld No.1 increasingly attracts attention at international motor racing events. Committed to the slogan "No fuel, no noise, just speed" the solar-powered racing car sponsored by SolarWorld AG will take to the race track this coming weekend at the 34th Toyota Grand Prix in Long Beach/California. Just before the start of the main race the solar racer will do one round on the racing track to give the 180,000 or so spectators an insight into the future of motor racing. "The solar racer is a symbol of climate-friendly mobility which becomes more and more important," says Dipl.-Ing. Frank H. Asbeck, Chairman and CEO of SolarWorld AG. "At the same time‚ SolarWorld No.1 shows the versatility of modern solar technology." At this traditional motor sports event in which Niki Lauda and Nelson Piquet were winners in the past the solar racer will be presented in the context of an exhibition for drive systems based on renewable energies (Green Exhibition).
Successful presentation at DTM race in Hockenheim
Last weekend the solar racer was already at the start of the first race of this year's German touring car championship (Deutsche Tourenwagenmeisterschaft = DTM) on the Hockenheimring. The racing car exclusively propelled by solar energy presented itself in the drivers' camp and completed one round on the track in front of some 60,000 spectators just before the starting pistol for the DTM was fired. The appealing design and the modern technology were well received by the motor racing enthusiasts. "Motor racing and cars thrill millions of people all over the world. Due to the considerable use of fuel the traditional motor racing symbolizes resource consumption and climate change. With the SolarWorld No.1 we want to give an example to show that it can also work out differently and that this excitement can also be sparked by a climate-friendly and clean technology," underlines Frank Asbeck. The racing car consisting mainly of carbon fibres was developed and designed by engineering students at Bochum University of Applied Science in cooperation with SolarWorld AG. With its commitment to this project SolarWorld AG is systematically promoting the upcoming generation of engineers.
For more information about the SolarWorld No.1 raceer go to: www.solarworldno1.com
About the SolarWorld group
The SolarWorld group (ISIN: DE0005108401) is a worldwide leader in offering brand-name, high-quality, crystalline solar-power technology. Its strength is its fully integrated solar production. From silicon as the raw material through wafers, cells and modules all the way to turn-key solar systems, including recycling, the group combines all stages of the solar value chain. The central business activity is selling quality modules into the installation and distribution trades and crystalline wafers to the international solar cell industry. Group headquarters are located in Bonn, Germany. Production sites are to be found in Germany, the United States and South Korea. The group’s largest production facilities operate in Freiberg, Germany and Hillsboro in the U.S. state of Oregon. Sustainability is the basis of the group strategy. Under the name Solar2World, the group supports care projects using off-grid solar-power solutions in emerging economies and developing countries, exemplifying sustainable economic development. Worldwide, SolarWorld employs more than 2,700 people. SolarWorld AG has been quoted on the stock exchange since 1999 and today is listed on, among others, the TecDAX, ÖkoDAX, Dow Jones STOXX 600 as well as in the sustainability indices DAXglobal Alternative Energy and NAI.
www.solarworld-usa.com
Media Contact:
Ben Santarris
Public affairs manager
SolarWorld
25300 N.W. Evergreen Road
Hillsboro, OR 97124
Mobile: 503 927 9858
Office: 503 693 5189
ben.santarris(at)solarworld-usa.com