Santa Barbara Garden-Laguna Street Solar System to be dedicated Wednesday,
March 11
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., March 11 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Suntech Power
Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP), the world's largest manufacturer of
photovoltaic (PV) modules, in partnership with the City of Santa Barbara and
Tioga Energy, a leading solar financing firm, today announced the activation
of the City's first large-scale solar power system. The 384 kW DC system is
the first large-scale solar deployment for the City of Santa Barbara as well
as the largest solar power system in the City.
The ceremony and educational tour are to be held from 2:00 - 3:00 PM
beginning in the David Gebhard Meeting Room, located at 630 Garden Street in
Santa Barbara. The speaker program includes local Nobel Prize Laureate and
sustainability advocate Walter Kohn and Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum, who
will dedicate the City's Corporate Yard solar system.
"We are excited to produce clean, renewable power here in Santa Barbara
while simultaneously reducing our energy costs," said Marty Blum, Mayor of the
City of Santa Barbara. "Our climate is perfect for solar, we can apply the
savings to other city programs, and we are helping the environment. This is a
tremendous win for everyone."
The system, which is spread among the Corporate Yard's roofs, features
Suntech modules designed to minimize aesthetic impact while providing maximum
energy output. Suntech solar panels were chosen for their consistent high
quality, reliable performance, and efficiency. Suntech Energy Solutions
installed the system in Fall 2008 in less than three months.
"Working with the City of Santa Barbara and Tioga Energy has been a
pleasure for Suntech," said Marco Garcia, Vice President of Project
Development for Suntech Energy Solutions. "We look forward to helping cities
and local governments follow Santa Barbara's lead in converting unused land
and roof space into power generating assets."
The solar energy system was built without any large capital outlay on
behalf of the City of Santa Barbara. Instead, the system is financed and
operated by Tioga Energy, through its SurePath(TM) Solar Power Purchase
Agreement (PPA). Through the SurePath PPA agreement, Tioga Energy sells the
energy generated by the system to the city at a fixed, predictable price over
the 20-year contract term. As a result, the city receives immediate energy
savings and a hedge against future utility rate increases, without the hassle
of owning the system outright.
"With its commitment to clean energy, the City is demonstrating that solar
power is an affordable option for public agencies concerned with reducing
carbon emissions," said Paul Detering, CEO of Tioga Energy. "Our collaborative
effort with the City of Santa Barbara and Suntech provides the City with
predictably-priced power and demonstrates how successful public-private
partnerships can help municipalities meet their financial and sustainability
objectives."
The system will produce 550,000 kWh of energy per year, effectively
offsetting 421,466 lbs, or 191 metric tons, of carbon dioxide. This is
equivalent to removing 35 cars from the road, saving 21,328 gallons of
gasoline, or powering over 100 Santa Barbara-area homes a year (based on a
single family occupancy energy use of 5,000 kWh per year).
"This first system is a first step in reducing our energy costs and
producing clean, renewable energy. We look forward to 'throwing the switch' on
more projects in the years to come," said Mayor Marty Blum.
For more information about the City of Santa Barbara, visit
http://www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov/ .
About Tioga Energy
Tioga Energy enables commercial, government and non-profit organizations
to reduce their energy costs while lowering carbon emissions. Through the
SurePath Solar power purchase agreement (PPA), Tioga Energy owns and operates
renewable energy systems that provide organizations a hedge against energy
price volatility and accelerate their access to clean energy without any
capital outlay. For more information call +1-877-333-9787 or visit
http://www.tiogaenergy.com .
About Suntech
Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd. (NYSE: STP) is the world's leading solar
energy company as measured by production output of solar modules. Suntech
designs, develops, manufactures, and markets premium-quality, high-output,
cost-effective and environmentally friendly solar products for electric power
applications in the residential, commercial, industrial, and public utility
sectors. Suntech's patent-pending Pluto technology for crystalline silicon
solar cells improves power output by up to 12% compared to conventional
production methods.
Suntech also offers one of the broadest ranges of building-integrated
solar products under the MSK Solar Design Line(TM). Suntech designs and
delivers commercial and utility scale solar power systems through its wholly
owned subsidiaries Suntech Energy Solutions and Suntech Energy Engineering.
With regional headquarters in China, Switzerland and San Francisco and sales
offices worldwide, Suntech is passionate about improving the environment we
live in and dedicated to developing advanced solar solutions that enable
sustainable development. For more information, please visit
http://www.suntech-power.com .
Safe Harbor Statement:
This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements
constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 27A of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can
be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates,"
"future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements,
and include the amount of power the solar system will be able to generate, the
amount of carbon dioxide offset, the number of cars removed from the road, and
the amount of gasoline saved per year. Such statements involve certain risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those in the forward-looking statements. Further information regarding these
and other risks is included in Suntech's filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 20-F. Suntech does
not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required
under applicable law.
For further information please contact
Tioga Energy
Lisa Ann Pinkerton
Tioga Energy Public Relations Representative
Tel: +1-415-977-1916
Tel: +1-412-512-3324
Email: lisa@antennagroup.com
City of Santa Barbara Public Works Department
James Dewey
Facilities & Energy Manager
Tel: +1-805-564-5568
Email: jdewwey@SantaBarbaraCA.gov
Suntech
In China:
Rory Macpherson
Investor Relations Director
Suntech Power Holdings, Co. Ltd.
Tel: +86-21-6288-5574
Email: rory@suntech-power.com
In the United States:
Steve Chadima
VP of External Relations
Suntech Power Holdings, Co. Ltd.
Tel: +1-949-412-7333
Email: schadima@suntechamerica.com
SOURCE Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
-0- 03/11/2009
/CONTACT: Tioga Energy, Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Public Relations
Representative, +1-415-977-1916, +1-412-512-3324, lisa@antennagroup.com or
City of Santa Barbara Public Works Department, James Dewey, Facilities &
Energy Manager, +1-805-564-5568, jdewwey@SantaBarbaraCA.gov or Suntech, Rory
Macpherson, Investor Relations Director, +86-21-6288-5574, rory@suntech-
power.com and Steve Chadima, VP of External Relations, +1-949-412-7333,
schadima@suntechamerica.com, both of Suntech /
/Web site: http://www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov
http://www.tiogaenergy.com
http://www.suntech-power.com /
(STP)
CO: Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
ST: China
IN: OIL UTI
SU: PDT
IT
-- CNW011 --
9807 03/11/2009 08:00 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
