DGAP-News: SolarWorld No.1 Racer to Start in the Long Beach Grand Prix

SolarWorld AG / Miscellaneous

17.04.2008 

Release of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
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Solar Technology for Climate-Friendly Mobility

The solar racer SolarWorld No.1 increasingly attracts attention at
international motor racing events. Committed to the slogan 'No fuel, no
noise, just speed' the solar-powered racing car sponsored by SolarWorld AG
will take to the race track this coming weekend at the 34th Toyota Grand
Prix in Long Beach/California. Just before the start of the main race the
solar racer will do one round on the racing track to give the 180,000 or so
spectators an insight into the future of motor racing. 'The solar racer is
a symbol of climate-friendly mobility which becomes more and more
important', says Dipl.-Ing. Frank H. Asbeck, Chairman and CEO of SolarWorld
AG. 'At the same time ‚SolarWorld No.1’ shows the versatility of modern
solar technology'. At this traditional motor sports event in which Niki
Lauda and Nelson Piquet were winners in the past the solar racer will be
presented in the context of an exhibition for drive systems based on
renewable energies (Green Exhibition).

Successful presentation at DTM race in Hockenheim

Last weekend the solar racer was already at the start of the first race of
this year’s German touring car championship (Deutsche
Tourenwagenmeisterschaft = DTM) on the Hockenheimring. The racing car
exclusively propelled by solar energy presented itself in the drivers’ camp
and completed one round on the track in front of some 60,000 spectators
just before the starting pistol for the DTM was fired. The appealing design
and the modern technology were well received by the motor racing
enthusiasts. 'Motor racing and cars thrill millions of people all over the
world. Due to the considerable use of fuel the traditional motor racing
symbolizes resource consumption and climate change. With the SolarWorld
No.1 we want to give an example to show that this can also work out
differently and that this excitement can also be sparked by a
climate-friendly and clean technology', underlines Frank Asbeck. The racing
car consisting mainly of carbon fibres was developed and designed by
engineering students at Bochum University of Applied Science in cooperation
with SolarWorld AG. With its commitment to this project SolarWorld AG is
systematically promoting the upcoming generation of engineers.

About SolarWorld AG: The SolarWorld AG group of companies (ISIN:
DE0005108401) is a world leader in high quality solar power technology. The
company is involved at all levels of the solar value chain and combines all
activities of the industry from silicon as the raw material to turn-key
solar power system. SolarWorld AG is represented in all international solar
growth markets. The group is exclusively dedicated to its core business of
photovoltaic power generation, operating production facilities in Germany
and the USA. They in turn supply the SolarWorld AG sales offices in
Germany, Spain, USA, South Africa and Singapore. In South Korea SolarWorld
AG is currently building up a solar module production facility in order to
be able to serve the growing demand in Asia on the spot in the future. A
central element of the business in addition to the sale of turn-key solar
systems and solar modules to retailers is the distribution of solar silicon
wafers to the international solar cell industry. Apart from grid-coupled
(on-grid) products the SolarWorld Group also sells off-grid solar power
solutions that make an important contribution to the sustainable economic
development of threshold and developing countries. Under the name
Solar2World the group has pooled its ethical commitment to solar power
especially in developing countries.

SolarWorld AG employs more than 2,000 people worldwide. At the stock market
the company is listed among others in the technology index TecDAX, in the
ÖkoDAX, in the Dow Jones STOXX 600, in the international MSCI index as well
as in the sustainability indices DAXglobal Alternative Energy and NAI.


Contact:
SolarWorld AG Investor Relations / Marketing Communications,
Tel.-No.: +49 228 55920 -470; Fax-No.: +49 228 55920-9470,
E-mail: placement@solarworld.de Internet: www.solarworld.de



DGAP 17.04.2008 
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Language:     English
Issuer:       SolarWorld AG
              Kurt-Schumacher-Straße 12-14
              53113 Bonn
              Deutschland
Phone:        +49 (0)228 - 559 20 470
Fax:          +49 (0)228 - 559 20 99
E-mail:       placement@solarworld.de
Internet:     www.solarworld.de
ISIN:         DE0005108401
WKN:          510840
Indices:      TecDAX
End of News                                     DGAP News-Service
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