Suntech Energizes Schools in Lebanon's Largest Solar Initiative

USA - English

• USA - English

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, and WUXI, China, Feb. 17 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- 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: [email protected]

     Walker E. Frost
     Senior Supervisor
     Marketing & Communications
     Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
     Tel:   +86-21-6288-5574
     Email: [email protected]

    For CEDRO:
     Hassan Harajli
     Project Manager / Energy and Environment Programme
     Marrad St. Bldg 287B, 1st flr
     Beirut - Lebanon
     Tel:   +961-1-981944
     Email: [email protected]
     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:   [email protected]

SOURCE Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.