GESOLAR Sampling 'Smart Panels' Featuring National Semiconductor's SolarMagic Chipset

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- National Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: NSM) a leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance analog semiconductors, and Green Energy Solar (GESOLAR), a leading provider of solar energy products and services, today announced that samples of GESOLAR smart panels are available now.  The modules, incorporating HUBER+SUHNER NS3 junction boxes featuring National Semiconductor's award-winning SolarMagic™ power optimizer chipset, will be demonstrated at the Solar Power International conference in Los Angeles on Oct. 12 –14, 2010.

• National Semiconductor, booth #6219
• GESOLAR, booth #2459
• HUBER+SUHNER, booth #3022

"Together, we have designed and developed the first smart panel to go into production," said Mike Polacek, senior vice president, Key Market Segments and Business Development for National Semiconductor. "Solar installers can now realize the highest kWh performance, cost effectively with SolarMagic power optimization built in."

TUV Rheinland is performing the safety and emissions compliance testing. The industry's first smart panel to enter the certification process, TUV Rheinland is conducting tests to assure that the GESOLAR panels meet requirements for ANSI 1703 and IEC 61730 and IEC 61215 safety standards as well as FCC Part 15 (Class A&B) and EN 61000 emissions and immunity standards.

"We are excited to introduce the first smart panel to market," said Stephen Tong, CEO of GESOLAR.  "Incorporating National's SolarMagic chipset in our next generation of GESOLAR modules, provides the solar installation owner with the benefits of power optimization performance along with the best-in-class quality of GESOLAR modules."

National's SolarMagic power optimizer technology enables each GESOLAR module to produce the maximum energy regardless of whether other panels in the array are under-performing due to environmental mismatch. The technology enhances the energy harvest of each individual PV panel through a combination of advanced algorithms and leading-edge analog power management circuit techniques. In real-world tests involving shading and mismatch, GESOLAR modules with SolarMagic power optimizer technology were shown to recoup an average of 50 percent of lost energy, and in some cases captured as much as 75 percent of otherwise lost energy compared to standard panel performance.

About National Semiconductor

National Semiconductor is a leader in power management technology. Known for its easy-to-use analog integrated circuits and world-class supply chain, National's high-performance analog products enable its customers' systems to be more energy efficient. Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., National reported sales of $1.42 billion for fiscal 2010. Additional information is available at www.national.com.

About Green Energy Solar (GESOLAR), Sainty International Group

GESOLAR is one of the leading partially vertical integrated manufacturers of crystalline PV modules and packaged solar system kits providers. Founded in 1978, GESOLAR is a subsidiary of Sainty International Group. In May 2010, GESOLAR merged with Jiangsu Guoxin Investment Group Limited. With total assets of $14 billion, GESOLAR is one of the largest corporations in China.

GESOLAR's premium quality PV modules have been applied extensively in residential, commercial and utility scaled projects around the world. Today, there are more than 30 countries using premium GESOLAR products. Additional information is available at www.gesolar-power.com and www.saintygroup.com.

About Huber+Suhner Group

The HUBER+SUHNER Group is the premier manufacturer of connectivity solutions for PV components and installations with their RADOX® Solar Junction boxes, Connectors, and PV rated cables. From the PV module all the way to the inverter, HUBER+SUHNER products are the key to reliability. Headquartered in Herisau, Switzerland, HUBER+SUHNER reported sales of CHF 631 Million for 2009. Further information on the company can be found at www.hubersuhner.com.

National Semiconductor is a registered trademark and SolarMagic is a trademark of National Semiconductor Corporation.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE National Semiconductor Corp.