PVSEC Europe 2008: Germany Solidifies Leading Position in PV Energy

Berlin (ots) - Germany's recently approved "climate package" is
its latest step in securing the country's position as a leading
investment location in renewable energies. "The reforms maintain
attractive feed-in tariffs and strengthen the legal framework for
energy-efficiency investments, therefore adding to Germany's already
inviting investment conditions in photovoltaic (PV) energy," says
David Wortmann, Director of the Renewable Energies and Resources team
at Invest in Germany. Invest in Germany will be outlining the
country's investment advantages at the 23rd European Photovoltaic
Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition (PVSEC), September 1 - 5, 2008
in Valencia, Spain.

One of the main drivers of PV investment in Germany is the
Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG in German). The EEG requires power
companies to buy renewable energy from owners of renewable energy
installations at a rate that is above the standard retail price.

The "feed-in-tariff" for PV projects beginning in 2008 stands at
35.49 - 51.75 EUR cents/KWh. The rate is guaranteed for 20 years.
There is also no limit to the energy that can be sold into the grid
at the EEG rates. This legal framework encourages Germans to invest
in PV products, creating a long-term and sustainable domestic market.

Germany is turning its renowned scientific expertise into an asset
for the solar industry. Indeed there are over 80 different academic
degree options in solar energy and energy management at German
universities, including a new Masters Degree program at Berlin's
Technical University (TU). An "energy university" will soon open in
Berlin to offer graduate-level students from all over the world the
chance to improve their knowledge of the energy industry. This
qualified workforce contributes to Germany's high standard of quality
in its PV products and also to its comparatively low product failure
rate.

This expertise is found not only in universities, but also in the
many research institutions in Germany that cooperate closely with PV
investors. For example, the Fraunhofer ISE is part of the
internationally renowned Fraunhofer Society that is one of numerous
research institutes and universities doing research on the latest
technologies in PV, often in cooperation with the solar industry.

"It is the quality of German employees, the tight networking of
manufacturers, suppliers, and research institutions, and the
supportive legal framework that make Germany the world's premiere
location for PV investment," notes Dr. Eicke Weber. The former
professor at the University of California, Berkeley heads the
Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in Freiburg,
Germany.

Supportive laws, qualified employees, and access to researchers
and suppliers are some of the reasons that leading PV companies such
as First Solar, Arise Technologies, Signet Solar, and recent entries
like Intico Solar and Masdar PV GmbH have invested in Germany.

Invest in Germany is the inward investment promotion agency of the
Federal Republic of Germany. It provides investors with comprehensive
support from site selection to the implementation of investment
decisions.

Originaltext: Invest in Germany
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Contact:
Invest in Germany GmbH
Headquarters
T: +49-30-200-099-0,
F: +49-30-200-099-111,
office@invest-in-germany.com,
http://www.invest-in-germany.com

Media Contact:
Eva Henkel,
T:+49-30-200-099-173,
F:+49-30-200-099-111,
henkel@invest-in-germany.com