Suntech, Bangchak Turn On Southeast Asia's Largest Solar Plant In Thailand

WUXI, China, Sept. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's largest producer of solar panels, announced that South East Asia's largest silicon photovoltaic power plant, a 44-megawatt project called 'Sunny Bangchak', achieved grid connection on September 4, 2012. The project, located in Bang Pa-In, Ayutthaya, forty kilometers outside Bangkok, Thailand, is owned by Bangchak Public Petroleum Co., Ltd (BCP), utilizes Suntech's high performance solar panels and was constructed by engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) partner Solartron Public Co., Ltd.

Mr. Bundit Sapianchai, Senior Executive Vice President of Bangchak Petroleum Public Co., Ltd, said, "The Sunny Bangchak project represents an important step in BCP's aim to promote a green environment and sustainable business in Thailand. Our visitor center at the site will be a landmark for renewable education in Thailand. We chose Suntech because of their excellent track record around the world and their high-efficiency panels which are specifically suited to Thailand's hot and humid climate."

Dr. Zhengrong Shi, founder and executive chairman of Suntech said, "We are excited to collaborate with Bangchak and Solartron to develop and promote solar energy in Thailand. As the largest solar plant in Southeast Asia, Sunny Bangchak is an important milestone in solar energy's development in the region and demonstrates Suntech and BCP's commitment in ushering in a clean, sustainable energy future in Thailand."

Sunny Bangchak is open to the public with an on-site exhibition center where local schools, residents, tourists and policy makers can learn about solar technology and Bangchak's commitment to sustainability.

The solar project represents a major milestone in Thailand's ambitious goal to meet 20% of its total energy consumption with renewable sources by 2022. Bangchak estimates that the 44-megawatt capacity solar power plant could annually reduce the need to import about 40,000 tons of coal and mitigate 32,000 tons of CO2 emissions, similar to planting 3,000,000 trees or removing 9,000 cars from the roads.

To learn more about Suntech's efforts in driving global solar industry growth, please visit the Suntech Connect blog, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @Suntech_Connect for regular updates.

About Suntech

Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP) produces industry-leading solar products for residential, commercial, industrial, and utility applications. With regional headquarters in China, Switzerland, and the United States, and gigawatt-scale manufacturing worldwide, Suntech has delivered more than 25,000,000 photovoltaic panels to over a thousand customers in more than 80 countries. Suntech's pioneering R&D creates customer-centric innovations that are driving solar to grid parity against fossil fuels. Suntech's mission is to provide everyone with reliable access to nature's cleanest and most abundant energy source.

For more information about Suntech's people and products visit http://www.suntech-power.com/.

About Solartron Public Co., Ltd.

Solartron Public Company Limited was founded in 1986. Solartron has been providing Thailand and neighboring countries with alternative clean energy sources of photovoltaic energy for more than 26 years. At present, Solartron offers turnkey service including design, engineering, installation, commissioning, monitoring, maintenance and after-sale services. Solartron has so far provided more than 250,000 solar application systems in the Southeast Asia region. Solartron is now constructing an upstream solar cell factory in order to support the rapid growth of demand for solar power in Thailand and in the global market.

For more information about our company and products visit: http://solartron.co.th

About Bangchak Petroleum Public Co., Ltd.

Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited is a Thai oil company, running the business of refining crude oil from the Middle East, the Far East as well as from domestic sources. The company also sells its finished oil products through a network of over 1,100 service stations. In addition, Bangchak has extended its direct sales channel to large and medium-scale oil consumers, including industrial plants, airlines, automobile companies, ocean liners, and construction businesses, etc. Bangchak is firmly committed to the growth of renewable energy technologies, especially solar power, which contributes to Thailand's energy security and supports the government's policy to promote renewable energy.

For more information about our company and products visit: http://www.bangchak.co.th

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, including the ability of the system to function at 44MW, the ability to reduce the need to import about 40,000 tons of coal and mitigate 32,000 tons of CO2 emissions, similarity to planting 3,000,000 trees or removing 9,000 cars from the road and to mitigate a total of 800,000 tons of CO2. 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.

Contacts

For Suntech:
Ryan Ulrich
Senior Communications Supervisor
[email protected]
+86 510 8531 8654

SOURCE Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.