Advanced Energy Selected For Historic Federal Building Solar Installation

FORT COLLINS, Colo., March 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEIS), today announced that its AE 75TX solar inverters have been selected by First Power and Light for a 147 kW solar energy system at the Mary Switzer Building, which when completed, will be the oldest federal building to utilize solar power in Washington, D.C. The entire system is comprised of U.S.-manufactured components and was installed by First Power and Light, a commercial, government, and large residential solar installer recently acquired by Mainstream Entertainment (Nasdaq: MSEI).

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Originally built in 1939, the Mary Switzer building today houses the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Education, among other government employees. The building was selected as a candidate for complete modernization as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA or the "stimulus bill"), which included the installation of a solar power system to help produce clean, affordable solar energy and comply with the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings' energy efficiency standards.

"At the direction of President Obama, federal agencies are looking for high-value, American-designed technologies that help reduce operating costs and minimize the government's environmental impact, and Advanced Energy, Solar Energy's AE 75TX inverters fit the bill," said Thomas Moore, vice president of the Construction Division at First Power and Light. "The robust design, integrated features and reliability of the AE 75TX solar inverter provides an unbeatable levelized cost of electricity (LCOE). We look forward to working with AE Solar Energy on this project as well as future projects, to help federal agencies and other organizations take advantage of solar power."

As evidenced in President Barack Obama's recent State of the Union address, the entire federal government is focused on embracing domestic sources of energy. And with the Department of Defense identifying climate change as a threat to national security, clean sources of renewable energy—like the solar energy system on the Mary Switzer building—are expected to be a cornerstone of this effort.

"AE is honored to be working with First Power and Light on this historic project to help meet the increasing demand from the U.S. government for sustainable energy at federal facilities," said Gordon Tredger, president for AE Solar Energy. "Our products and services continue to be a staple for solar project developers and financiers. We look forward to working with First Power and Light to help more federal, local and state agencies achieve their goals and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels."

Some of the American-made components used in the Mary Switzer building solar installation include:

• AE 75TX inverters made at Advanced Energy Solar Energy's manufacturing facility in Bend, Oregon.
• System racking components manufactured by Daetwyler in Huntersville, North Carolina.
• Solar modules manufactured at the Motech manufacturing facility in Newark, Delaware.

AE's solar energy business delivers highly reliable inverters, complementary BoS products, and robust O&M services that allow its customers to secure more solar projects and grow their business. AE Solar Energy enables utility-scale and commercial-scale solar project stakeholders to offer system owners a lower LCOE and confidence their PV system will deliver on long-term production goals. With more than 30 years of leadership in delivering innovative energy solutions, combined with a legendary reputation for customer service, AE is a trusted partner to solar project developers, EPC companies, financiers, and beneficiaries around the globe.

­­­About Advanced Energy

Advanced Energy (Nasdaq: AEIS) is a global leader in reliable power conversion solutions used in thin-film plasma manufacturing and solar energy generation. Founded in 1981, Advanced Energy is headquartered in Fort Collins, Colorado with dedicated support and service locations around the world. For more information, go to www.advanced-energy.com .

SOURCE Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.