DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, and WUXI, China, Feb 17, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's largest producer of
crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, recently supplied solar panels for
19 remote schools in Lebanon working with local partner and Lebanese
integrator Asaco General Trade & Contracting. Sponsored and facilitated by the
Country Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Demonstration Project for the
Recovery of Lebanon (CEDRO), established through the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP), the combined systems represent the largest solar
initiative in Lebanon.
"Suntech is proud to support this initiative," said Nader Jandaghi,
Suntech's Director of Middle East. "CEDRO's adoption of solar power for these
schools will brighten the lives and enhance the learning of children who will
define Lebanon's future. Together, we want to power a world where everyone has
direct and dependable access to nature's most abundant energy resource."
Because of the locations of the schools in rural villages spread across
the Bekaa Valley and Northern Lebanon, grid power can be intermittent and
unreliable. In the past, teachers and administrators at these 19 schools have
persevered through the blackouts; now they will be able to rely on the sun to
provide classroom and library lighting as well as reliable access to a
computer or fax/copy machine. Integrator Asaco designed custom systems using
Suntech solar modules for each of the 19 schools, with power outputs ranging
from 1.2kWp to 1.8kWp.
"This is the largest set of solar projects in Lebanon to date -- not only
in terms of power output but also because of the large number of sites spread
across the country," said Mr. Ramzi AbuSaid, CEO of Asaco. "CEDRO set
reasonable and challenging system design objectives. We had to integrate
several power sources at each site, including grid power, the solar systems,
and even diesel generators in some cases, and leverage each of their
attributes to ensure that the schools have dependable power at all times. Each
power system is very efficient and takes maximum advantage of the clean
electricity generated through Suntech's high-performing solar modules."
"For more than 20 years, and ever since the war, electrical power failure
in the public grid has been a chronic problem for us," explained Joseph Nakleh,
Principal of the Anna Intermediate Public School. "We experienced blackouts on
average for six to twelve hours each day. As a public school, we didn't have
the budget to fund an alternative power source, so over time we adapted to the
frequent grid power failures. Unfortunately, this was affecting the quality of
educational services that we strive to provide our students. The new system is
not only an excellent solution since it finally solved our electricity issues,
but it will serve as a tangible, everlasting example for our students about
the good uses of green power."
About CEDRO
In partnership with the Lebanese Ministry of Energy and Water, the
Ministry of Finance, and the Council for Development and Reconstruction, the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is managing the "country energy
efficiency and renewable energy demonstration project for the recovery of
Lebanon" (CEDRO). Created in October 2007, the project has a mandate of five
years, lasting until October 2012, and a budget of $9.73 million funded by the
Lebanon Recovery Fund by means of a donation from Spain. CEDRO has been
established with an aim to complement the national power sector reform
strategy, and to support the greening of Lebanon's recovery, reconstruction,
and reform activities. To achieve this, the project will focus on activating
end-use energy efficiency and renewable energy applications in public sector
buildings and facilities across Lebanon. For more information, please visit
http://www.cedro-undp.org
About Asaco General Trade &Contracting
ASACO is a leader in renewable energy in Lebanon and holds the record for
the most amount of renewable power installed or supplied in Lebanon, in both
wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels. With its rigorous team of
professionals and long history in the field, ASACO has designed, supplied, and
executed a larger number of renewable energy projects throughout Lebanon,
including wind and solar systems as well as hybrid systems. Asaco is an
active member in the Lebanese Energy Society and other environmental
initiatives and plays an important role in promoting renewable energy into
Lebanon.
About Suntech Power
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP) is the world's leading solar
energy company as measured by production output of crystalline silicon solar
modules. Suntech designs, develops, manufactures, and markets premium quality,
high-output, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solar products for
electric power applications in the residential, commercial, industrial, and
public utility sectors. Suntech offers an extensive range of customer-centric
innovations, including its patent-pending Pluto technology for crystalline
silicon solar cells, which improves power output by up to 12% compared to
conventional production methods, its Reliathon(TM) module and platform, the
industry's first fully integrated utility-scale solar platform, and its broad
range of building-integrated solar products.
Suntech designs and delivers residential, commercial and utility-scale
solar power systems in China and the United States. With regional headquarters
in China, Switzerland and San Francisco and sales offices worldwide, Suntech
is passionate about improving the environment we live in and dedicated to
developing advanced solar solutions that enable sustainable development. For
more information, please visit http://www.suntech-power.com .
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements
constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can
be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates,"
"future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements,
and includes the power output of the installed systems, ability of the
supplied solar panels to provide reliable access to computers, faxes and copy
machines and solve electricity issues at the schools. Such statements involve
certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information
regarding these and other risks is included in Suntech's filings with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F.
Suntech does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking
statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except
as required under applicable law.
For more information, please contact:
For Suntech:
Rory Macpherson
Investor Relations Director
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
Tel: +86-21-6288-5574
Email: rory@suntech-power.com
Walker E. Frost
Senior Supervisor
Marketing & Communications
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
Tel: +86-21-6288-5574
Email: walker.frost@suntech-power.com
For CEDRO:
Hassan Harajli
Project Manager / Energy and Environment Programme
Marrad St. Bldg 287B, 1st flr
Beirut - Lebanon
Tel: +961-1-981944
Email: hassanharjli@undp-lebanonprojects.org
Web: http://www.cedro-undp.org
For Asaco:
Ramzi AbuSaid
Managing Director
Asaco General Trade & Contracting
Hassania Bldg. - 4th Floor.
Almama Str. Corniche Al Mazraa
P.O. Box: 14-6533 Beirut - Lebanon
TeleFax: +961-1-310649 /700548
Email: asacolb@gmail.com
SOURCE Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
