Showa Shell Solar Establishes European Base in Germany

Berlin/Tokyo (ots) - Japanese solar company Showa Shell Solar has
announced a new investment in Germany. Along with the company's
renaming to Solar Frontier, the CIS (copper-indium-selenium)
photovoltaic module manufacturer will open its first European office
in Munich in 2010. Germany Trade & Invest supported the company with
its investment plans.

Aiming to ramp up production to reach a sales goal of 1 million
kilowatts worldwide in 2012, the Munich office, alongside a new
American counterpart in California, will play an integral role in
achieving this mark. The company's production figures will increase
by more than ten times its current level, strengthened by an
additional plant that will begin production in mid-2011.

Solar Frontier CEO Shigeaki Kameda: "The German priority on both
economic and ecological criteria precisely matches Solar Frontier's
top design and production mandates. Germany is also the world's
largest market, so we have three very critical reasons to invest
here: the German priority on economy, the German priority on ecology,
and the German market size. We therefore expect to fulfill very
strong demand."

Solar Frontier's decision to invest in Germany also serves it well
for access to growing photovoltaic markets across Europe. Germany is
home to approximately half the solar modules in operation worldwide,
based on recent industry estimates. This market continues to grow as
2009 installations exceeded expectations, likely surpassing 3.0 GW.

Germany is home to the largest solar cluster in the world that
encompasses a wide range of manufacturers, suppliers, and research
institutes. Together, these innovators create a synergy that has
added photovoltaics to the long tradition of the "Made in Germany"
label, a symbol for high quality and innovation.

Solar Frontier manufactures proprietary thin-film modules that
substitute silicon with the key ingredients copper, indium, and
selenium. The company benefits from competitive material prices
compared to conventional silicon wafer-based modules. The thin-film
modules are expected to reach a 14.2 percent efficiency level by
2011. Solar Frontier was assisted by Germany Trade & Invest and
Invest in Bavaria, the economic development agency for the federal
state of Bavaria. Germany Trade & Invest is currently showcasing the
latest opportunities available in the world's largest solar market at
this year's PV Expo (East Hall 4, Stand no. 26-22), taking place
March 3 - 5 in Tokyo, Japan.

Germany Trade & Invest is the foreign trade and inward investment
promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. The organization
advises foreign companies looking to expand their business activities
to the German market. It provides information on foreign trade to
German companies that seek to enter foreign markets.

Originaltext: Germany Trade and Invest
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Contact:
Eva Henkel
Germany Trade & Invest
Email: eva.henkel@gtai.com
Phone: +49(0)30 200099-173