SELF-GENERATING POWER SYSTEMS PROVIDE CLEAN, COST-EFFICIENT ENERGY TO SAN DIEGO COUNTY FACILITIES

Four PV Installations by RWE SCHOTT Solar Showcase the County’s Long-Term Commitment to Reducing Energy Costs and Improving the Environment

March 29, 2004 (ROCKLIN, Calif.) — RWE SCHOTT Solar Inc. (RSS), a leading manufacturer and distributor of high-quality solar modules and systems, announced today that four County of San Diego facilities are now powered in part by the sun, reducing greenhouse-gas emissions as well as energy consumption and expense for the County. Combined, the recently installed, energy-producing photovoltaic (PV) systems are expected to produce nearly 500,000 kWhs of energy per year, enough electricity to power more than 60 average homes on an annual basis.

With its favorable weather patterns — average annual rainfall of less than 10 inches and 150 sunny days — the San Diego area is considered an ideal region for the application of PV systems. “Given the many energy-related issues and challenges that we and other counties have faced in recent years, the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors is committed to improving energy independence, containing energy costs and contributing to the long-term welfare of the environment,” said John J. McTighe, director of the Department of General Services for the County of San Diego. “By strategically distributing our initial implementation of PV systems throughout the county, we have an outstanding opportunity to collect valuable data to help us better understand how renewable energy from the sun can benefit all who reside and work here.”

RSS installed two 45 kW, free-standing SunRoof™ FS PV systems, one at an operations center in Kearny Mesa and the other at the County of San Diego Library in El Cajon. In addition, a 100kW system was installed at the county’s South Bay Regional Center in Chula Vista with another 100 kW system going in at the North County Regional Center in Vista. With all four installation sites featuring flat roofs, the SunRoof FS system is particularly desirable as its weight is evenly distributed (less than 4 pounds per square foot). In all cases, the PV arrays sit above the roof without any roof-penetrating mounting racks or inserts.

“The PV systems installed throughout the County of San Diego are indicative of its commitment to seek long-term solutions that are viable economically and environmentally,” said Marc Roper, director of sales for RWE SCHOTT Solar. “By making this investment in its future, the county is among a growing number of governments, businesses and other organizations that have chosen to lead by example and to make a lasting impact.”

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 300TM. 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 joint venture 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.