SMA Solar Technology AG Opens Sales and Service Subsidiary in Japan

“Japan was a front runner of the photovoltaic industry for many years. As a result, we have decided to establish a local presence in this market long before the tragic events of Fukushima. We expect strong growth in the Japanese photovoltaic market in the coming years. In addition to the photovoltaic rooftop system sector, we also see great potential in the area of commercial and industrial photovoltaic projects,” explains Pierre-Pascal Urbon, Speaker of the Managing Board and Chief Financial Officer of SMA Solar Technology AG. “We are convinced that our technology can play a major role in creating a decentralized renewable energy supply in Japan.”

From its new office in Tokyo, the local team of SMA Japan offers customers a series of highly efficient, high-quality inverters tailored to the specific requirements of the Japanese market along with professional consulting for photovoltaic project planning and an extensive range of services. SMA’s state-of-the-art inverter production in Niestetal/Germany is geared to the high quality standards of the Japanese market. SMA holds a DIN ISO 9001 certification for quality management as well as a DIN ISO 14001 certification for environmental management. Additionally, within the JET certification process of SMA inverters for the Japanese market, the SMA production has been inspected and certified by JET officials.

To demonstrate the real-world advantages of its technologically advanced products, SMA will construct a pilot photovoltaic plant with Sunny Boy and Sunny Central inverters in Japan. “Unlike most of the inverters sold by local providers, SMA inverters can be used outside in all weather conditions. They not only offer high efficiency and reliability, but also a long service life,” says Yoshimi Murakami, General Manager of SMA Japan. “Visitors at the PV Expo in Tokyo can experience our products and services firsthand at our booth from February 29 to March 2, 2012.”

The opening of the Tokyo office is the next step in SMA’s successful internationalization strategy. The company is represented in all key photovoltaic markets and has offices in 19 countries on four continents. This year additional foreign companies will be opened in the developing markets of South America and Africa.

About SMA
The SMA Group generated sales of €1.9 billion in 2010 and is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all photovoltaic plants. It is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented in 19 countries on four continents. The Group employs more than 5,300 people worldwide, including temporary seasonal employees. SMA’s broad product portfolio includes a compatible inverter for every type of module on the market and for all plant sizes. The product range covers both inverters for photovoltaic plants connected to the grid as well as inverters for off-grid systems. Therefore, SMA is able to provide ideal technical inverter solutions for all plant sizes and types. 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 also in the TecDAX index. In recent years, SMA has received numerous awards for excellence as an employer and most recently achieved first place in the nationwide “Great Place to Work” competition.



SMA Solar Technology AG
Sonnenallee 1
34266 Niestetal
Germany

Head of Corporate Communication:
Anja Jasper
Tel. +49 561 9522-2805
Presse@SMA.de

Press contact:
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Press Officer
Tel. +49 561 9522-1124
Fax +49 561 9522-531400
Presse@SMA.de

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Stephanie Kniep
Director of Investor Relations
Tel. +49 561 9522-2222
Fax +49 561 9522-2223
IR@SMA.de

Julia Damm
Manager, Investor Relations
Tel. +49 561 9522-1164


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.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements do not describe facts that have occurred in the past. They also include statements about our assumptions and expectations. These statements are based on plans, estimations, and forecasts that 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.