Environmental Sustainability Updates

San Jose, California – Freiburg, Pforzheim, Germany, 21 December 2009 – Intersolar is joining the SEMI PV Group and its partners to co-organize a first-class PV conference and presenting an Intersolar Pavilion at SOLARCON China in Shanghai, March 16-18, 2010.

The high-level PV conference takes place during SOLARCON China with more than 1,000 participants expected to attend. This continuing collaboration is a furthering of the successful partnership between the SEMI PV Group and the organizers of Intersolar’s global events, Solar Promotion International GmbH and Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH. Together they have created the successful and rapidly growing Intersolar North America exhibition in San Francisco, California and have expanded the scope of the already highly acclaimed Intersolar Europe event in Munich, Germany.

The Intersolar shows bring together all solar energy technologies and the entire solar energy supply chain, including: equipment and materials suppliers, cell and module manufacturers, balance of systems (BOS) suppliers (including inverters, tracking systems, integrators), distributors and project developers.

“SEMI is extremely pleased to expand the excellent relationship we have with Solar Promotion International GmbH, and Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH as we co-organize these Intersolar shows,” said Dan Martin, Executive Vice President of SEMI. “SEMI has had a longterm presence in the China market, and we have recently collaborated with the major solar energy companies in the region to release a Policy Roadmap White Paper. This White Paper recommends significant increases to the long-term targets for domestic solar installation to encourage a rapid acceleration of the solar energy market in China. This show is an opportunity for both domestic and international companies to be there as the China markets achieve rapid growth and profitability.”

“Together, we are committed to producing the right number and size of high-quality solar shows around the world that will enable global, regional, and local manufacturers and suppliers to access these growing markets,” said Markus Elsaesser, CEO, Solar Promotion International. “The Chinese government, on both a national and provincial level, has begun an aggressive program of incentives to engage the industry in rapid growth. We are pleased to co-organize the PV conference and Intersolar Pavilion at SOLARCON China 2010 to help support the rapid growth and adoption expected in this region.”

"The Intersolar Pavilion and PV conference at SOLARCON China 2010 represent just the beginning of our cooperation with SEMI in China,” said Mr. Klaus W Seilnacht and Mr. Dr. Bernd Dallmann, the CEO’s from Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH.

About Intersolar

The Intersolar international trade shows are the world’s largest trade shows for solar technology and have been organized by Solar Promotion International GmbH in Pforzheim in cooperation with Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH since 2000 and with SEMI PV Group since 2008. Intersolar focuses on the areas of photovoltaics and solar thermal technology. Since its beginnings,

Intersolar has established itself as the leading international solar industry event for producers, suppliers and distributors. For more information visit www.intersolar.de

About SEMI PV GROUP

The PV Group is a SEMI special interest group dedicated to serving the PV manufacturing supply chain. Members of the PV Group provide the essential equipment, materials and services necessary to produce clean, renewable energy from photovoltaic technologies. The PV Group is committed to lowering costs for PV energy and for expanding the growth and profitability of SEMI members serving this essential industry; visit www.pvgroup.org

Association Contact:

SEMI US
Mr. Steve Buehler
Tel.: +1.408.943.7049
E-mail: sbuehler@semi.org

Intersolar Contact:

Solar Promotion International GmbH
Mr. Markus Elsaesser
Kiehnlestr. 16
75172 Pforzheim, Germany
Tel.: +49-(0)7231-58598-0
Fax: +49-(0)7231-58598-28
E-mail: info@intersolar.de

The projects are expected to involve billions of yuan in investment and highlight China's ambition to develop solar thermal power in the future.

Located in Geermu of Qinghai province, the large-scale solar thermal power units would cater to the area's industrial users, in addition to augmenting the power grid network.

Geermu is forecasted to demand 12 billion kWh of electricity in the 2011-2015 period, due to the introduction of salt chemical, petrochemical, metallurgical, and special light industrial projects.

Geermu boasts 620,000 square km of desert area available for the development of solar power plants and an annual 3,200 to 3,600 hours of sunshine.

China Huadian New Energy Development is a subsidiary of the power generation group China Huadian Corporation, and Lion International Investment Ltd. is a subsidiary of Australian oil and gas developer Lion Energy Limited.

SunBorne Energy Holdings LLC, founded in 2008, is working on a utility-scale solar thermal project in Gurjarat, India, and has plans to build large-scale solar plants throughout the Asian nation, according to its website. The company lists offices in Cambridge at General Catalyst’s office, as well as in Haryana, India.

General Catalyst managing director Hemant Taneja is listed as chairman of the startup and is known to be active in efforts to develop clean technology projects in India. He was not immediately available for comment. James Abraham, a longtime partner at the Boston Consulting Group’s India office, is listed as chief executive.

The plan is to produce 20,000 MW through solar power by 2022.

This Mission is one of the eight key National Missions which comprise India’s National Action Plan on Climate Change.

The Cabinet has approved setting up of 1,100 MW of grid solar power and 200 MW capacity of off-grid solar applications utilizing both solar thermal and photovoltaic technologies in the first phase of the Mission.

The focal point, for the next 3 years, will be the NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam (NVVN), which is the power trading arm of the NTPC. Government will designate it for the purchase of solar power generated by independent solar power producers, at rates fixed by the Central Regulatory Electricity Commission and for a period specified by the latter.

The Solar Mission recommends the implementation in 3 stages leading up to an installed capacity of 20,000 MW by the end of the 13th Five Year Plan in 2022. The first phase will last until 2012-2013, Phase 2 will run from 2013-2017 and 2017-2022 as Phase 3. The first phase will focus on capturing low-hanging options in solar thermal; promoting off-grid systems to serve populations without access to commercial energy, and modest capacity additions of grid-based systems. In the second phase, the government says that capacity will be aggressively ramped up to create conditions for up-scaled and competitive solar energy penetration.

Government has recently cleared proposals to set up 29 MW capacity megawatt size grid connected solar power projects under the ongoing demonstration schemes. Recently, 3 MW capacity grid solar power plants have been set up in West Bengal and Karnataka. Government has also sanctioned several projects to set up about 525 kWp capacity solar PV projects to save diesel.

The company has firmed up its plans to initially install a solar power generation capacity of 100 Mw in the state, which may go up to 300 Mw at a later stage.

Gujarat government has already approved NTPC's 50 Mw solar thermal power unit. "The PSU plans to set up two solar power units each having installed capacity of 50 Mw. Soon, NTPC will sign a memorandum of understaning (MoU) with the state government," said Bharatsinh Solanki, minister of state for power, government of India.

Kutch and Banaskantha districts have been identified for the proposed 100 Mw solar thermal power capacity, with an investment from NTPC of around Rs. 2,000 crore.