European Business and Policy Leaders Discuss the Role of Innovation and Energy

Brussels (ots/PRNewswire) - Political
representatives and business leaders today provided a glimpse into
the role that innovation and energy technologies will play in the
economic recovery and environmental protection in Europe.

The roundtable at the European Parliament in Brussels was
sponsored by Dow Corning and co-hosted by Members of the European
Parliament (MEP) Fiona Hall and Sirpa Pietikainen. Panel participants
exchanged views on pressing issues that will be addressed this autumn
by the European Union's institutions to position Europe for the 21st
Century, including the upcoming innovation strategy and the revision
of the EU's industrial policy.

European legislators Hall (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in
Europe, United Kingdom) and Pietikainen (European People's Party,
Finland), as well as Stefan Tostmann, head of Unit Energy
Technologies and Research Coordination (European Commission, DG
Energy) contributed to the debate. In addition, Attila Nagy, energy
attache at the Permanent Representation of Hungary; Jorge Nunez,
research fellow at the Center for European Policy Studies; Sam Cross,
energy policy adviser at EurElectric, and Jean-Marc Gilson, Dow
Corning executive vice president and general manager of Specialty
Chemicals participated in the roundtable discussion.

"Developing effective low carbon technologies is vital to both
economic recovery and environmental protection," said Dow Corning's
Gilson. "We share the European Commission's vision of increased
development and deployment of such advances, and support its chosen
methods including European Industrial Initiatives and funding
mechanisms that aim to encourage and strengthen research and
innovation in this area."

"Europe must ensure that companies can operate in a
business-friendly environment that promotes low-carbon technologies
and innovation," said Pietikainen, "which will contribute to solving
Europe's greatest challenges by reducing costs and improving resource
efficiency in production processes."

"Encouraging businesses to invest will have a number of positive
effects, including more high-tech jobs for European workers, a
cleaner environment, and less dependence on fossil fuels for
businesses and homes," added Hall.

The event comes a day after Dow Corning unveiled its plans for a
$13 million investment in a European Solar Energy Exploration &
Development Center (SEED). This investment will expand the company's
capability to innovate with silicon-based materials and technologies
at its European headquarters in Seneffe.

"The new Energy Exploration & Development Center increases Dow
Corning's innovation capabilities in Belgium, allowing us to expand
our European research and innovation portfolio and continue to add to
our scientific and technical expertise," said Eric Peeters, Vice
President and head of Dow Corning's Solar Business. "The new facility
will open new possibilities for materials development and take our
application research to the next level, enabling closer collaboration
to better meet the needs of our customers."

NOTE TO MEDIA: B-roll, audio files and high resolution images are
available on:
http://www.dowcorning.com/content/about/aboutmedia/SEED.aspx. Video
formats: preview webcast in flash (.flv) and professional broadcast
in H264/Mpeg4. Audio format: radio in MP3

About Dow Corning

Dow Corning (http://www.dowcorning.com) provides
performance-enhancing solutions to serve the diverse needs of more
than 25,000 customers worldwide. A global leader in silicones,
silicon-based technology and innovation, Dow Corning offers more than
7,000 products and services via the company's Dow Corning(R) and
XIAMETER(R) (http://www.xiameter.com) brands. Dow Corning is equally
owned by The Dow Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More
than half of Dow Corning's annual sales are outside the United
States. Dow Corning's global operations adhere to the American
Chemistry Council's Responsible Care(R) initiative, a stringent set
of standards designed to advance the safe and secure management of
chemical products and processes.

Dow Corning is also the majority shareholder in the Hemlock
Semiconductor Group (http://www.hscpoly.com) joint ventures, which
includes Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation and Hemlock
Semiconductor, L.L.C. Hemlock Semiconductor is a leading provider of
polycrystalline silicon and other silicon-based products used in the
manufacturing of semiconductor devices and solar cells and modules.
Hemlock Semiconductor began operations in 1961 and has announced more
than $4 billion of investments since 2005.

About Dow Corning Solar

Dow Corning Solar
Solutions(http://www.dowcorning.com/content/solar) provides
materials and services for the entire photovoltaic supply chain,
from silicon feedstock for ingot and wafer production to solar module
assembly materials. It is leveraging its unique position and global
leadership in the silicon and silicone value chain to deliver
solutions that will make a difference in the photovoltaic industry
and help photovoltaic producers fulfill the mid- and long-term
promises of solar energy.

ots Originaltext: Dow Corning Corporation
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
CONTACT: CONTACT: Liv
Schneider-Affeld,liv.schneideraffeld@dowcorning.com, +32-6488-8667,
Nadine Heikamp,nheikamp@apcoworldwide.com, +32-486-088-577