Global Solar is simultaneously breaking ground on what will be one of the world's largest CIGS solar fields, at 750 kilowatts (kW), and commissioning its 35 MW plant in Berlin, Germany to open in fall 2008.

"The solar energy market is rapidly growing as a premier choice of alternate energy. CIGS photovoltaic technology provides the market with a new renewable energy option offering the greatest potential for driving down the installed cost of energy," said Mike Gering, CEO of Global Solar.

"Through this large-scale expansion, Global Solar is continuing to lead the industry and convert solar energy potential into reality. Equipped with our years of actual production experience developing repeatable, reliable processes, we are prepared to help drive the solar market into the next level of product innovation and adoption."

Global Solar expands from its former 33,000 sq. ft. factory to the new 100,000 sq. ft. facility in Tucson, Arizona and 32,000 sq. ft. factory in Berlin, Germany and increases the Company's capacity from 4.2 MW to 75 MW. With plans to put an additional 100 MW into production at the end of 2009, Global Solar is poised to bring its total global capacity to 175 MW in 2010.

The Company will also generate production power on-site through its upcoming 750 kW, utility-scale CIGS power field. This growth will enable Global Solar to continue to deliver CIGS solar cells for use in traditional glass module manufacturing as well as develop new business channels for its CIGS material for integration into products targeted at the emerging Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) market.

"Given that Global Solar is producing the highest volume of CIGS thin-film solar material available, the opening of its plant in Tucson is a remarkable event," said Tom Kimbis, acting director at the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technology Program.

"Production from this facility will help satisfy the strong demand for solar product across the world, while providing local residents of Tucson, already a Solar America City, with jobs in a rapidly-growing, high-tech industry. The addition of the Tucson Global Solar plant will help meet the 2015 goal of the Solar America Initiative of achieving solar electricity cost competitiveness with grid electricity, especially through the use of flexible CIGS thin-film technologies in building-integrated applications."

CIGS technology creates more electricity from the same amount of sunlight than other thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies, offering the highest potential efficiency and lowest costs. BCC Research Analysis projects the global photovoltaic market to grow to $32.3 billion by 2012 with thin-film solar growing at a 45 percent rate to account for almost 19 percent of the global PV market by 2012.

Global Solar is a leader in this growing market as the only company reliably producing CIGS in full-scale production that can be encapsulated in glass or flexible substrate. The Company's proven and stable production process is creating lightweight and portable PV materials for integration in commercial, residential, utility-scale and government products. As a result of its three years of full-scale production, Global Solar is also the only company achieving 10 percent average solar cell efficiency for CIGS technology on a flexible substrate over numerous production runs.

Related Links
Global Solar Energy
All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com

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