Renewable Energy Europe 2008: Clean-Tech and Energy Efficiency Major Players in German Economy

Berlin (ots) - As oil prices rise and concerns about the
environmental effects of greenhouse gases intensify, Germany is
supporting renewable energies and energy-efficient technologies.
Investment opportunities in Germany's renewable energies and
energy-efficiency industries will be presented at Renewable Energy
Europe 2008 at Power Gen Europe 2008, a major European exhibition and
conference for Europe's power industry. It runs from June 3rd-5th in
Milan, Italy.

The convention also marks the beginning of the campaign "Eastern
Germany: Prime Location for Clean Tech Leaders." While Germany is a
leading investment location for investors in the renewable energies
and energy-efficiency industries, some companies, for example First
Solar and Arise Technologies, have found success specifically in
eastern Germany. Invest in Germany, the country's inward investment
promotion agency, is using this campaign to showcase eastern
Germany's investment advantages in the clean-tech sector and will
continue it at future trade fairs in Europe, Japan, and the United
States.

Energy efficiency is becoming a major branch in the German
economy. For example, energy-efficiency technology includes
Light-Emitting Diodes (LED). These technologies can be used in homes
and in streetlamps; they drastically reduce the amount of energy
required to disseminate light, in comparison with traditional light
bulbs.

Germany combines a tradition of scientific excellence, and a
government establishing a favorable legal framework to encourage new
investments in renewable energies and energy efficiency.

Many leading institutes, such as the Hahn-Meitner Institute in
Berlin, are engaging in groundbreaking research in photovoltaic (PV)
technologies. Cooperation between research institutes and companies
is standard in Germany and the presence of internationally renowned
research centers has played a major role in the decisions of
companies to invest in Germany.

Germany's legal framework also favors investors in clean
technologies. As part of the German federal government's, Market
Incentive Programme (MAP), funds available for investments in
heat-saving technologies, such as solar thermal systems and heat
pumps will increase to ?500 million in 2009.

This program complements the already successful Renewable Energies
Sources Act (EEG) that pays "feed-in tariffs" to owners of renewable
energies systems, such as solar panels, creating an incentive to own
renewable energy systems, and increasing demand for such products.

These laws are creating an incentive for companies to develop new
clean technologies. Indeed this development is already taking place.
In recent years, Germany's energy use has trailed its economic
growth, showing that German businesses and households have found ways
to use energy more efficiently.

Invest in Germany is the inward investment promotion agency of the
Federal Republic of Germany. It provides investors with comprehensive
support from site selection to the implementation of investment
decisions.

Originaltext: Invest in Germany
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Pressekontakt:
Invest in Germany GmbH

Headquarters:
Friedrichstasse 60,
10117 Berlin, Germany,
T: +49-30-200-099-0,
F: +49-30-200-099-111,
office@invest-in-germany.com,
http://www.invest-in-germany.com

Media Contact:
Eva Henkel,
T:+49-30-200-099-123,
F:+49-30-200-099-111,
henkel@invest-in-germany.com