SolarWorld No.1 with Top Ranking in North America Race

Bonn/Hillsboro, Wednesday July 23rd, 2008 - The SolarWorld No.1 racer crossed the finishing line as the third of a total of 24 teams in the North American Solar Challenge, the major event in the solar motor racing calendar in North America, on Tuesday. The solar racing car sponsored by SolarWorld AG and developed by the University of Bochum has thus been able to improve on the excellent result (fourth place) of the last big race in Australia. The solar racing cars covered the roughly 4,000 kilometers across the North American continent from Dallas/Texas to Calgary/Canada in just over eight days. On the way they were exclusively propelled by the power of the sun.

"The great success of solar motor racing shows that solar power technology will also become a genuine alternative in the area of mobility", says Frank H. Asbeck, Chairman and CEO of SolarWorld AG, on the occasion of the successful race finish of the SolarWorld No.1. "The world demands alternatives – not only in power generation but also in mobility. In view of skyrocketing oil prices we must meet this challenge by launching a solar-driven electrical car suitable for everyday driving."

Photographs of the North American Solar Challenge are available on our Internet page at www.solarworldno1.com

About SolarWorld AG

SolarWorld AG manufactures solar power systems and in doing so contributes to a cleaner energy supply worldwide. The company, located in Bonn, employs approximately 3,000 people and carries out production in Freiberg, Germany, and Hillsboro, USA. From raw material silicon to the solar module, SolarWorld manages all stages of production ‒ including its own research and development. Through an international distribution network, SolarWorld supplies customers all over the world with solar modules and complete systems. The company maintains high social standards at all locations across the globe, and has committed itself to resource- and energy-efficient production. SolarWorld has been publically traded on the stock market since 1999 and is quoted in the technology index TecDax. SolarWorld achieved sales of about one billion Euros for the fiscal year 2011. More information at www.solarworld-usa.com.

Media Contact:

Devon Cichoski
Media relations manager
SolarWorld Americas
4650 Adohr Lane
Camarillo, CA 93012
Mobile: 805-377-2905
Office: 805-388-6388
devon.cichoski(at)solarworld-usa.com