With MCS Certification, Suntech Enters Promising UK Market

LONDON and WUXI, China, May 28 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's largest producer of crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules, recently received official certification under the UK Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) for its most popular models, a pre-requisite for selling solar panels in the UK market. The certification will enable customers and value-added resellers in the UK to utilize Suntech's solar panels for reliable electricity generation.

Issued by the leading UK test authority, the British Board of Agrement (BBA), the certification certifies that Suntech's modules meet or exceed relevant standards for sales in the UK. The MCS approval process includes a factory inspection, to ensure that all production processes conform or exceed safety and reliability standards, as well as thorough product performance evaluation.

Solar installers, such as The Green Electrician Ltd., are delighted to offer Suntech modules to their customers in the UK. Rupert Higgin, Director of The Green Electrician Ltd., has been impressed by the quality, excellent performance and reliability of Suntech modules installed in Germany. Mr. Higgin commented, "I would not hesitate in recommending Suntech's high-performance solar products to our customers in the UK. Suntech has a strong presence throughout Europe and they provide great support and quick responses to all my questions." Since installing their first system in April, The Green Electrician has developed about a dozen new systems using Suntech modules within the last month.

The forecast for the UK solar market is bright, judging by the activities of UK installers, such as The Green Electrician, who report robust consumer demand. The superior performance of Suntech's industry-leading solar panels, under all light and weather conditions, makes solar a viable energy solution almost everywhere under the sun. Coupled with strong government incentives to catalyze market growth, solar will provide an attractive return on investment to both commercial and private customers in the UK.

Jerry Stokes, Suntech's Vice President of Strategy and Business Development in Europe, added, "We see the UK as a strategically important market and had no hesitation in engaging BBA to assess our modules for the MCS certification. With a high degree of home ownership and a positive feed-in-tariff legislation, which offers secure returns, we are confident that the UK market offers great potential."

All of Suntech's products meet or exceed the most stringent international quality and safety standards. Launched in 2009, Suntech's advanced solar product testing facility is widely recognized as the best-in-class, as it has been awarded the Underwriters Laboratories Witness Testing Data Program Certificate as well as the VDE Test Data Acceptance Program Certificate in accordance with all requirements of IEC 61215 and IEC 61730.

About Suntech Power

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 close to 10,000,000 photovoltaic panels to over 1,400 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, 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 forecast for the UK PV market, the potential of the UK market to offer secure returns for solar, and the ability to obtain attractive returns for commercial users and private customers of solar. 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 Suntech Power:

     Bjorn Emde
     PR Manager
     Suntech Power Europe Ltd.
     Tel:   +49-89-544599926
     Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.