CACHE CREEK CASINO RESORT BETS SUN AND COMMUNITY WILL SHINE BRIGHTLY ON NEW SOLAR ELECTRIC INSTALLATION

RWE SCHOTT Solar System Produces Clean Energy On-Site, Reduces Load on Power Grid; PG&E Rebate Cuts System Cost in Half

August 19, 2004 (ROCKLIN, SAN FRANCISCO and BROOKS, Calif.) • RWE SCHOTT Solar Inc. (RSS), Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and Cache Creek Casino Resort jointly announced today the commissioning of a 307.2 kW photovoltaic (PV), or solar electric, power generation station on the resort’s grounds. Made up of more than 1,000 ASE 300 series modules, the installation is the largest of its type owned by a casino resort. Clearly visible from the highway, the array will produce electricity equivalent to the requirements of about 73 homes a year for at least the next 25 years.

The installation serves not only as a clean energy power station, but also as a symbol of the property’s commitment and contribution to helping California meet its energy needs. In addition, the system qualifies for a rebate from PG&E’s self-generation incentive program, which helps stimulate the commercial market for renewable energy by defraying initial up-front costs.

“The Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians and Cache Creek Casino Resort have long been committed to finding sustainable solutions to California’s growing appetite for energy. The new solar electric system will produce 100 percent clean energy and reduce the load on the power grid,” said Paula Lorenzo, tribal chairwoman, Rumsey Band of Wintun Indians. “The system is a good fit as we strive to balance healthy economic growth, preserve the area’s rural lifestyle and address environmental and land-use concerns of neighbors.”

PG&E Director of Service Analysis, David Rubin, added, “PG&E has long supported renewable energy, such as solar power, and applauds Cache Creek Casino Resort for contributing to the increase of ‘clean,’ on-site distributed generation. PG&E is proud to have partnered with Cache Creek to help the casino resort better manage its energy needs.”

About the Self Generation Incentive Program
PG&E’s Self-Generation Incentive Program provides financial incentives to customers who install certain kinds and sizes (up to 1.5 megawatts), of "clean," on-site distributed generation. These facilities must be certified to operate in parallel with the electric system grid (not back-up generation) and meet other criteria established by the California Public Utilities Commission. In this case, the rebate is $982,750. To date, more than $38 million in rebates to on-site solar electric systems have gone out since the first payment in 2002.

About the Installation
A total of 1,024 ASE 300 series modules make up the PV system installed at the Cache Creek Casino Resort. Rated at 307.20 kW, and arranged in a ground-mount array, the system will produce approximately 470,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. During peak production periods, the system can power more than 1,200 of the casino resort’s more than 1,700 slot machines.

"When it came down to the actual construction of our recent expansion at the casino resort, one of the things we asked ourselves, the community at large and Yolo County was, ‘How can we maximize our power efficiency with clean alternative sources?’," said Cache Creek Casino Resort General Manager, Randy Takemoto. "This solar electric power station is the answer, and a great amount of credit goes to many people who helped bring this all together, including companies like RWE SCHOTT Solar and PG&E. The entire Capay Valley can be very proud of the stringent conservation efforts made here and throughout the region."

Marc Roper, vice president of sales and marketing for RWE SCHOTT Solar, Inc., concluded, “We commend Cache Creek Casino Resort’s long-term vision and its leading by example approach in helping to support a sustainable energy future for California. The land and resources the casino resort dedicated to this project are indicative of the property’s commitment to be a socially responsible member of its local community. By producing clean, quiet energy on-site, and by reducing the load on our power grid, we are now one step closer to ensuring a positive future for California’s energy needs.”

About Cache Creek Casino Resort
Cache Creek, located 40 miles north of Sacramento and 80 miles from the Bay Area, is Northern California’s only casino resort. Operating 1,762 slot machines and 120 table games throughout its spacious 66,000-square foot casino, Cache Creek also features eight new restaurants, two state-of-the-art entertainment centers and a 200-room luxury hotel and spa. For more information go to www.cachecreek.com.

About Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, incorporated in California in 1905, is one of the largest combination natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of PG&E Corporation.

There are 19,575 employees who carry out Pacific Gas and Electric Company's primary business•the transmission and delivery of energy. The company provides natural gas and electric service to approximately 14 million people throughout a 70,000-square-mile service area in northern and central California.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company and other utilities in the state are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission. The CPUC was created by the state Legislature in 1911.

ABOUT RWE SCHOTT Solar Inc.
RWE SCHOTT Solar Inc. is North America’s leading manufacturer and distributor of solar power components and systems, serving customers throughout the Americas from sales offices in California, Massachusetts and the State of Washington. The company’s U.S. headquarters and manufacturing facility in Billerica, Massachusetts, produces the largest solar power module available worldwide, the ASE 300™. A pioneer in the design and development of complete solar power solutions, RWE SCHOTT Solar Inc. serves a highly diverse market including grid-connected residential and commercial systems, and grid-independent industrial, governmental and utility applications.

RWE SCHOTT Solar Inc. is a subsidiary of RWE SCHOTT Solar GmbH located in Alzenau, Germany. RWE SCHOTT Solar GmbH is a joint venture of RWE Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the RWE Group, a global international multi-utility concern with core businesses in electricity, gas, water, waste management and recycling; and the SCHOTT Group, a leading international specialty glass manufacturer. The RWE and SCHOTT companies had combined sales of over $55 billion in 2002, and employ nearly 150,000 people worldwide.

For more information, please visit: RWE Schott Solar Inc. -- www.rweschottsolar.com;
RWE Group -- www.rwe.com/en; Schott Group -- www.schott.com.