“Günther Cramer always dared to go one step further than others, creating a life’s work that shows us the way into the future,” said SMA Chief Executive Officer Pierre-Pascal Urbon. “With infectious enthusiasm, he convinced politicians and the public all over the world of the vision of a decentralized and renewable energy supply. The SMA Solar Academy represents this very conviction, for this building is proof that a self-sufficient supply with renewable energy is feasible. Without SMA’s technological expertise, this success would not have been possible.”
Since its founding in 1981, SMA has grown from a small engineering firm specializing in control systems into a global market and technology leader in photovoltaics. During this time, SMA has repeatedly set trends in the field of photovoltaics and contributed to the global spread of renewable energies. “With courage, perseverance, expertise and passion, Günther Cramer, Peter Drews and Reiner Wettlaufer as well as their mentor, Professor Werner Kleinkauf, laid the foundation for SMA’s extraordinary success story,” said Urbon. “Their vision of a globally 100% decentralized and renewable energy supply is today becoming a reality in more and more countries.” He asserts that SMA will benefit from further developments. “Even today, it is clear that the low cost of photovoltaics and the digitization of the energy industry mean that traditional business models are losing their significance. New business models are based on the network effect of specialists. As a specialist in PV applications, SMA is an important point of contact in this new world. It is for this very reason that we are entering into strategic partnerships. SMA’s PV system technology will be a crucial factor in the success of the system of the future — in fact, SMA will be an integral part of the new energy market.”
About SMA
The SMA Group with sales of €1 billion in 2015 is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants, and offers innovative key technologies for future power supply structures. It is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented in 20 countries. The Group employs more than 3,000 people worldwide. SMA has an extensive range of products, which offers the right inverters for all module types and plant sizes; for small residential systems as well as large-scale plants, grid-connected photovoltaic systems as well as off-grid and hybrid systems. Moreover, SMA offers system technology for various battery technologies and system sizes and collaborates with renowned battery manufacturers and companies from the automotive industry. The SMA technology is protected by about 700 patents and utility models worldwide. The range of services is supplemented by comprehensive services and operational management of large-scale PV power plants. Since 2008, the Group’s parent company, SMA Solar Technology AG, has been listed on the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92) and is currently the only company in the solar industry that is listed in the TecDAX index.
SMA Solar Technology AG
Sonnenallee 1
34266 Niestetal
Germany
Head of Corporate Communications:
Anja Jasper
Tel. +49 561 9522-2805
Presse@SMA.de
Press Contact:
Susanne Henkel
Manager Corporate Press
Tel. +49 561 9522-1124
Fax +49 561 9522-421400
Presse@SMA.de
Disclaimer:
This press release serves only as information and does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for, acquire, hold or sell any securities of SMA Solar Technology AG (the “Company”) or any present or future subsidiary of the Company (together with the Company, the “SMA Group”) nor should it form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any contract to purchase or subscribe for any securities in the Company or any member of the SMA Group or commitment whatsoever. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States of America absent registration or an exemption from registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
This press release can contain future-oriented statements. Future-oriented statements are statements which do not describe facts of the past. They also include statements about our assumptions and expectations. These statements are based on plans, estimations and forecasts which the Managing Board of SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA or company) has available at this time. Future-oriented statements are therefore only valid on the day on which they are made. Future-oriented statements by nature contain risks and elements of uncertainty. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors can lead to considerable differences between the actual results, the financial position, the development or the performance of the corporation and the estimates given here. These factors include those which SMA has discussed in published reports. These reports are available on the SMA website at www.SMA.de. The company accepts no obligation whatsoever to update these future-oriented statements or to adjust them to future events or developments.