About 500 guests attended the inauguration ceremony. Silke Lautenschläger, the Hessian Minister for Environment, Energy, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, gave the official speech.
SMA's new inverter factory which has already been producing since March of this year, is setting new standards in every respect: an annual production capacity of up to four gigawatt on 18,000 square meters make it the world's largest solar inverter factory.
The new factory has the lowest possible energy requirements together with the highest efficiency of consumed energy. Among other standards the building thus complies with the low-energy building concept. In addition, a reduced energy consumption of the production and testing facilities is achieved through efficiency measures in the production process. An optimal use of daylight, intelligent ventilation as well as the use of storage units for heating and cooling complement the energy and building concept.
The electricity and heat demand is covered by renewable energy sources: an integrated PV system with a power of around 1.1 megawatt and a combined heat and power plant fueled with bio-gas generates CO2-neutral electricity. "Green electricity" is additionally purchased in order to cover the total energy consumption of the production facilities. In the long run the CO2 balance will be zero by installing additional photovoltaic systems nearby.
The required heat is produced with the biogas-powered combined heat and power plant. At the same time, the waste heat coming from the compressor for the air powered tools and the lifting gear is utilized for the heating system. The additionally required heat demand is covered by using district heating from a nearby waste incineration plant.
Sufficient cooling is provided as well: an absorption refrigeration machine uses the heat of the combined heat and power plant for air conditioning.
In the new factory the process steps in the production have been completely re-designed in terms of efficiency. Entire production lines can be extended or reconfigured for other device types within shortest notice. This provides maximum flexibility in addition to the "just-in-time" production without warehouse.
"The inverters being the heart of every photovoltaic system already significantly contribute to an emission-free energy supply", Günther Cramer, Chief Executive Officer of SMA Solar Technology AG, explains. "With our CO2-neutral inverter production we even go one step further. Today we can show that an advanced production on industrial level can be done with a minimal environmental footprint. As the worldwide leading producer of solar inverters we now intend to initiate a trend towards CO2-neutral factories".
About SMA Solar Technology AG
With a turnover of more than 680 million euros in 2008, SMA is the global market leader for solar inverters, a central component of every solar power system. The SMA group is headquartered in Niestetal, near Kassel, Germany, and is represented on four continents in ten countries. The group employs more than 3,000 people (including temporary employees). SMA produces a broad range of inverter types which offers suitable inverters for every photovoltaic module type used and for photovoltaic systems in all power ranges. The product portfolio includes inverters both for grid-connected photovoltaic systems and for stand-alone systems. Since June 27, 2008, the company has been listed in the Prime Standard of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (S92), and since September 22, 2008, the company's shares have been listed in the TecDAX. In the past recent years, SMA was recognized several times with awards for its outstanding performance as an employer.
Press contact:
SMA Solar Technology AG
Volker Wasgindt
Head of Press and Association Works
Sonnenallee 1
34266 Niestetal, Germany
Germany
Tel. +49 561 9522-11 21
Fax.+49 561 9522-11 03
Volker.Wasgindt@SMA.de
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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 Executive 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 conform them to future events or developments.