mediarelease

Oerlikon Solar, the world’s leading supplier of thin film silicon
photovoltaic (PV) production equipment, today announced that Gadir Solar
is using its amorphous thin film silicon PV technology at the solar
fabrication plant located in the bay of Cadiz, Spain. Gadir Solar’s
plant, one of the largest in Europe, began operation in October 2009.
The company is ramping up in record time its annual production capacity
of 40 MW, which is capable of producing about half a million PV panels
per year. The amount of annually produced amorphous silicon PV panels
will generate enough power for approximately 8,000 homes.

“We chose Oerlikon Solar because of its well-established track record of
ramping up new thin film solar factories on time and on budget as well
as its strong commitment to improving on the scalability and cost
benefits for the technology. We were, and continue to be, extremely
impressed with their ability to meet our requirements and in Oerlikon
Solar’s clear upgrade path to ensure our competitiveness in the market,”
said David Naranjo Villalonga, CEO of Cadmos / Gadir Solar. “We are
committed to providing the most efficient solar solutions for the
Mediterranean region. Introducing amorphous panels to our production
plant means we can offer the highest standards of quality and
reliability.”

Driving down cost

Technology innovation is driving down the cost and improving the
performance of solar technologies. Solar PV is becoming a mass
production technology, and like flat-screen TVs, continued innovation
and cost reductions is likely to occur over the next 5 to ten years.
Oerlikon Solar customers are looking beyond the short-term supply market
conditions, and are targeting the market for 2012 and beyond, when their
micromorph^® factories will be in full production at
production costs that enable grid-parity level PPA prices.

“This opens another important market for our leading thin film solar PV
technology,” said Jürg Henz, CEO of Oerlikon Solar. “European countries
such as Germany, Italy and Spain could claim about 80¹% of PV
market share this year and we see tremendous opportunity in offering
companies like Gadir Solar industrial proven mass production solutions
for the thin film PV industry – the fastest-growing segment of PV.”

Fastest time to market

Oerlikon Solar leads the thin film solar equipment sector with 12
factories in production in 7 countries around the globe and the fastest
time to market. The company has dramatically increased the efficiency
level of thin film silicon and has developed end-to-end manufacturing
solutions to facilitate customers’ entry into thin film silicon PV
module manufacturing. Oerlikon Solar provides its customers with
unparalleled experience in both installing and ramping up PV module
factories, using its highly competitive amorphous silicon and
high-efficiency micromorph^® tandem production equipment
technologies. The company invests significant R&D resources using
non-hazardous substances and materials to achieve further performance
improvements and cost reductions and has a business model that will
lessen perceived technology risk, compared with other start up thin film
producers.

Thin film solar offers a cost-advantage over traditional crystalline
silicon, and is making strong efficiency gains. Coated with thin film
silicon, amorphous panels are a cost effective alternative to
traditional PV technologies and are expected to outpace future cost
reductions in existing technologies.

IEC/TÜV certified Swiss quality

Oerlikon Solar is the first thin film silicon technology provider to
have IEC/TÜV Rheinland master certification for its entire family of
thin film silicon solar technologies, including both amorphous and
micromorph^® . The certification ensures that modules produced
by Oerlikon Solar’s customers are manufactured to the highest quality
standards and can endure the most challenging real world environmental
conditions. With more challenging credit markets, certification also
makes Oerlikon Solar projects more predictable and bankable. Gadir Solar
achieved IEC/TÜV Rheinland certification for the combination of
durability and performance in December 2009.

About Gadir Solar

Subsidiary of Cadmos
Energías Renovables Gadir Solar is the result of a bet towards the
photovoltaic future, of vertical integration in this market and a
business challenge strongly supported by world-class business and
banking entities in Spain.

You need a company like Gadir Solar that can guarantee that the
material/product will run for tens of years outdoors. The investors
confidence is covered by the fact that they can obtain this type of
product in their own country, where legal stability and standards, and
local laws defend economic interests without interpretations.

For more information, please visit www.gadirsolar.es

About Oerlikon Solar

Oerlikon Solar offers field proven equipment and end-to-end
manufacturing lines for the mass production of thin film silicon solar
modules. Engineered to reduce device cost and maximize productivity, its
end-to-end solutions are fully automated, high yield, high uptime, and
low maintenance.

The production lines are complete systems, yet modular and upgradeable
in both throughput and process technology. As a global leader in thin
film PV technology, the company provides its customers with extensive
experience in both amorphous and high-efficiency micromorph^®
tandem technology. Coated with non toxic thin film silicon, these PV
panels are a cost effective alternative to traditional PV technologies
and are expected to outpace future cost reductions in existing
technologies.

Oerlikon Solar is ranked “global number one solar turnkey line supplier”
by VLSI and has been named winner of the 2009 CELL AWARD for the “best
technical product for thin film module manufacturing” as well as winner
of the 2009 Solar Industry Award.

Oerlikon Solar is headquartered in Switzerland, has over 750 employees
in 13 locations world wide and maintains sales and service centers in
the USA, Europe and China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore and Japan.

For more information, please visit www.oerlikon.com/solar

¹ Solarbuzz, PV Marketshare Forecast 2010, Sept 2009

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