EANS-News: centrotherm photovoltaics receives first upgrade order from Asia for its selective emitter technology

• Equipment sold to Taiwan, and advanced contract negotiations

in Asia
• Sales potential in the triple-digit millions of Euros
range
• Up to 0.5 percentage points higher cell efficiency
through technology
upgrades

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Company Information

Subtitle: • Equipment sold to Taiwan, and advanced contract
negotiations

in Asia
• Sales potential in the triple-digit millions of Euros range
• Up to 0.5 percentage points higher cell efficiency through technology
upgrades

Blaubeuren (euro adhoc) - August 5, 2010 - centrotherm photovoltaics
AG's evolutionary research and development strategy, which also
allows its turnkey customers to benefit from solar cell development
progress through technology and equipment upgrades, is reaping
rewards: three turnkey production lines owned by a Taiwanese customer
are currently being retrofitted with a selective emitter technology
upgrade package. The photovoltaics specialist is engaged in advanced
contract negotiations with renowned clients in Asia.

"Our strategy of upgrading existing production lines with selective
emitter technology is proving highly successful. The market is
showing great interest in such products," as Dr. Peter Fath, CTO at
centrotherm photovoltaics, explained. He went on to add: "Both
existing and new customers can produce even more efficiently with our
upgrade packages. Last, but not least, electricity customers also
benefit." The global sales potential for the upgrades lies in the
triple-digit millions of Euros range.

Upgrade packages boost cell efficiency to a peak value of up to
18.5 percent, and cut module costs by three percent Not only will new
customers benefit from the efficiency enhancements as the result of
continuous innovation, but also those clients who have already been
relying on tried and tested centrotherm technology for years. This
led the Swabian company to develop two upgrade packages that raise
cell efficiency by up to 0.5 percentage points. This allows peak
results of more than 17 percent efficiency on multi-crystalline
material, and of up to 18.5 percent on mono- crystalline material -
depending on wafer material quality.

The space-saving basic design for a 60 MW line includes two laser
islands, and improves cell efficiency by up to 0.3 percentage points
according to information provided by the company. In the case of the
premium product, featuring two laser islands, an oxidation furnace
and wet process system, cell efficiency is up to 0.5 percentage
points higher. The improved light yield offers a double benefit:
module costs fall by around 3 percent, while electricity customers
also benefit. A 0.5 percentage points higher efficiency results
arithmetically in three cents lower production costs per Watt peak
(Wp), according to a study produced by LBBW*.

centrotherm photovoltaics will also continue to back this
evolutionary development strategy in the future: "The continuous
optimization of production processes forms the centerpiece of our R&D
roadmap," commented Dr. Fath. "This roadmap envisages an annual
efficiency enhancement of 0.5 percent in the mono- crystalline cell
area, and of 0.4 percent to 0.5 percent in the multi- crystalline
cell area. This is the only way in which we will secure our position
as pioneering thought leader and pace setters within the solar
sector."

The potential for selective emitter technology The emitter coating is
the uppermost coating of a solar cell exposed to light. Conventional
emitters exhibit a high phosphorus concentration. The share of light
that the emitter absorbs is largely converted into heat, thereby
generating no electricity within the solar cell. The selective
emitter technology significantly diminishes this loss insofar as it
imposes a high phosphorus concentration on only a partial area within
the contact area where it is essential. Consequently, more light is
converted into electricity.

* LBBW Sector Alert "Energy & Power Technology" of September 25, 2009

About centrotherm photovoltaics AG centrotherm photovoltaics AG,
which is based at Blaubeuren, is one of the world's leading
technology and equipment providers for the photovoltaics sector. The
company equips well-known solar companies and new sector entrants
with turnkey production lines and single equipment to manufacture
silicon, crystalline solar cells and modules as well as thin film
modules. As a consequence, the Group possesses a broad and
well-founded technological basis, as well as key equipment at
practically all steps of the photovoltaics value- creation chain.
centrotherm photovoltaics guarantees its customers important
performance parameters such as production capacity, efficiencies, and
completion deadlines. The Group employs around 1,100 staff members,
and operates in Europe, Asia and the USA. In the 2009 financial year,
centrotherm photovoltaics achieved revenue of EUR 509.1 million, and
EBIT of EUR 37.2 million. The company is listed in the TecDax of the
Frankfurt Securities Exchange.

end of announcement euro adhoc
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ots Originaltext: centrotherm photovoltaics AG
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Further inquiry note:

Contact:

Saskia Schultz-Ebert

Senior Manager Investor & Public Relations

Tel: +49 7344 918-8890

E-Mail: saskia.schultz-ebert@centrotherm.de

Dr. Torsten Knödler

Manager Public Relations

Tel: +49 7344 918-8898

E-Mail: torsten.knoedler@centrotherm.de

Christina Siebels, Britta Cirkel

HOSCHKE & CONSORTEN Public Relations GmbH

Tel: +49 40 3690 50-58 /-56,

E-Mail: c.siebels@hoschke.de; b.cirkel@hoschke.de

Branche: Energy
ISIN: DE000A0JMMN2
WKN: A0JMMN
Index: TecDAX
Börsen: Frankfurt / regulated dealing/prime standard
Berlin / free trade
Hamburg / free trade
Stuttgart / free trade
Düsseldorf / free trade
München / free trade