WUXI, China, April 18, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
(NYSE: STP), the world's leading producer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic
modules, recently supplied 240 advanced solar panels for a 48kW rooftop
installation on Town Hall in Sydney, Australia. The panels are the first in
Australia to showcase Suntech's cutting-edge Pluto technology.
"The heart of Sydney is a fantastic location for the first Pluto-powered
solar installation in Australia," said Dr. Stuart Wenham, Chief Technology
Officer for Suntech and Director of the ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence
at UNSW. "Suntech's collaborations with Australian research institutions
remain central to the growth of solar energy in Australia and around the
world."
The advanced solar installation on the historic, 121-year-old building is
one of the largest in downtown Sydney and serves as iconic advocate for the
growth of renewable energy technology. Installed and integrated by Stowe
Electrical, the solar system will supply decades of clean power for Town Hall
and the Council Chambers. The installation is part of an AUD$18 million plan
to improve the energy efficiency of city-owned properties in Sydney.
"Sydney is among a growing number of international cities recognizing that
we cannot continue to rely on energy generated from coal-fired plants. It's
incredibly inefficient with two-third of the energy wasted during production
and transfer. Our Sustainable Sydney 2030 plan is to provide 25 percent of our
energy needs from renewable sources and reduce demand for power from coal-
fired plants," said the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, "The solar installation on
Town Hall demonstrates that new green technology can be incorporated into
heritage buildings."
Pluto technology, used to create the solar cells in panels installed on
Sydney Town Hall, features a revolutionary solar cell design that improves
conversion efficiencies by up to 12% in commercialized solar cells, and was
inspired by the world record-holding PERL solar cells from UNSW. Suntech's
Pluto-powered monocrystalline cells have achieved 19% conversion efficiency in
commercial production, independently verified by the Fraunhofer Institute in
Germany.
"Advanced solar technology is central to powering a future where everyone
has reliable access to nature's cleanest and most abundant energy resource,"
said Dr. Zhengrong Shi, Chairman and CEO of Suntech, a graduate of UNSW, as
well as a fellow at the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and
Engineering (ATSE). "Our 380 global R&D professionals, working with leading
research organizations in Australia and around the world, are targeting over
20% conversion efficiency in commercialized monocrystalline solar cells by
2012, further driving solar to grid parity against fossil fuels."
In addition to collaborating with UNSW, Suntech is also working closely
with Swinburne University of Technology on the development of nanoplasmonic
solar cells, which could dramatically increase the efficiency of solar cells
by enabling them to absorb a much broader spectrum of light. Suntech has
pledged AUD$3 million to help fund the advanced research performed at
Swinburne's new Advanced Technology Centre.
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 include the ability of collaboration with Australia research institutions
to grow solar energy, the percent of energy needs of Town Hall which may be
met from renewable resources, the ability to achieve 20% conversion efficiency
in commercialized monocrystalline solar cells by 2012, and the ability to
develop nanoplasmonic solar cells. 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 Power:
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
SOURCE Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
