Yingli Green Energy Publishes Inaugural Sustainability Report

BAODING, China, May 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (NYSE: YGE) ("Yingli Green Energy" or the "Company"), the world's largest photovoltaic ("PV") manufacturer, which markets its products under the brand "Yingli Solar", today announced it has published its first Corporate Sustainability Report (the "Report").

(Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/2012/04/01/20120401160439160364.jpg )

The Report provides a comprehensive overview of the Company's efforts to integrate sustainable, socially responsible business practices into all aspects of Yingli Green Energy's operations, including the manufacturing processes, corporate culture, and community engagement programs.

Mr. Liansheng Miao, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Yingli Green Energy, explained the Report's significance for the Company, "We have always believed in operating and fostering sustainable practices, and we're proud to showcase this dedication with the release of our first sustainability report today. As the data shows, our clean energy products are not only helping to reduce the world's carbon footprint, but are also manufactured in a supportive environment where people come first. We hope this report is a first step to share our dedication to sustainability with stakeholders globally, and look forward to furthering our efforts in the future."

The Report outlines the Company's long-term sustainability vision and strategy, which includes the following aggressive environmental targets to be achieved by 2015:

• Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions  intensity per MW of PV module produced by 13%
• Reduce GHG emissions intensity from upstream transportation by 10%
• Expand Yingli Green Energy's renewable energy consumption to at least 4% of total energy consumption

In addition, the Report provides a thorough analysis of Yingli Green Energy's dedication to corporate social responsibility ("CSR") through the disclosure of key environmental and social performance indicators, and through detailed descriptions of internal initiatives and external partnerships dedicated to CSR. Highlights include:

Manufacturing: Minimizing Yingli Green Energy Factories' Environmental Impact

• Solar energy projects at the Company's factories generated over 12,800 MWh of green energy in 2012, helping to reduce Yingli Green Energy's GHG emissions per MW of production by nearly 4% from 2011 to 2012 
• By installing sophisticated water treatment and recycling technologies, Yingli Green Energy decreased water use at its Baoding headquarters by more than 5% from 2011 to 2012

Corporate Culture: Helping Employees Succeed

• The vast majority of Yingli Green Energy employees are extremely satisfied professionally, with annual company surveys indicating employee satisfaction rates of nearly 80% in 2011 and 2012
• Yingli Green Energy is dedicated to its employees' long-term success, and has promoted over 270 employees from within its ranks through dedicated professional development initiatives

Community Engagement: Supporting Disadvantaged Areas

• As U.S.-based non-profit solar installer GRID Alternatives' first and largest official module supplier, Yingli Green Energy has helped over 1,000 low-income homeowners go solar throughout the U.S.
• Yingli Green Energy has worked with FIFA™ to bring solar energy to 10 disadvantaged communities across Africa through the FIFA Football for Hope™ program

Yingli Solar Panels: Fighting Climate Change through Technology

• Yingli Solar panels operating worldwide have offset the release of more than 200,000 tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere to date
• Through multiple process innovations across Yingli Green Energy's product lines, the Company recently increased the efficiency of its multicrystalline solar cells by more than 3% while also reducing production costs

Mr. Jingfeng Xiong, Vice President and Chief Climate Officer of Yingli Green Energy, commented, "We believe that this publication will only help us engage more constructively with key stakeholders on CSR topics moving forward. We hope our sustainability report serves as a foundation for a broader conversation with our customers, suppliers, and influencers in the solar value chain as we strive to achieve greater levels of transparency around sustainability."

Yingli Green Energy's complete 2013 Sustainability Report can be downloaded online here: http://www.yinglisolar.com/en/about/sustainability/.

To learn more about Yingli Green Energy's sustainability initiatives, and to join the conversation with Yingli Solar, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

About Yingli Green Energy

Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited (NYSE: YGE), which markets its products under the brand "Yingli Solar," is a leading solar energy company and one of the world's largest vertically integrated photovoltaic manufacturers. Yingli Green Energy's manufacturing covers the entire photovoltaic value chain, from the production of polysilicon through ingot casting and wafering, to solar cell production and module assembly. Yingli Green Energy currently maintains a balanced vertically integrated production capacity of 2,450 MW per year at its production facilities located in Baoding, Haikou, Tianjin and Hengshui. Yingli Green Energy distributes its photovoltaic modules to a wide range of markets, including Germany, Spain, Italy, Greece, France, South Korea, China and the United States. Headquartered in Baoding, China, Yingli Green Energy has more than 20 subsidiaries and branch offices worldwide. Yingli Green Energy is publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: YGE). For more information, please visit www.yinglisolar.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of 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," "target" and similar statements. Such statements are based upon management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions, and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond Yingli Green Energy's control, which may cause Yingli Green Energy's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in Yingli Green Energy's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Yingli Green Energy 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 further information, please contact:

In China:

Qing Miao
Vice President of Corporate Communications
Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited
Tel: +86 312 8929787
Email: [email protected]

In the Americas:

Helena Kimball
Head of Marketing
Yingli Green Energy Americas Inc.
Tel: +1-603-5915812
Email: [email protected]

In Europe:

Rebecca Jarschel
Public Affairs & Public Relations Director
Yingli Green Energy International AG
Tel: +41 (0) 44 567 6151
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited