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Press Release - new production facility
The Premier of Thuringia Dieter Althaus and the Mayor of Erfurt Andreas Bausewein inaugurate the new production facility of asola – Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH.Speaker of the opening ceremony on Friday 5th of June 2009 will be the Premier of Thuringia Dieter Althaus and the Mayor of Erfurt Andreas Bausewein. The brand new production facility of asola – Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, a global action manufacturer for PV panels, will triple their capacity to 45 Megawatt. “With this new plant we underline our own exceptional growth path which is by far beyond the industry-wide on average. Our formula for success is and will remain uncompromising quality Made in Germany“, says the founder and CEO Reinhard Wecker.
The total invests for the new building of € 8.7 M was supported with a € 1.6 M government grant from the Free State of Thuringia. By this the company was able to provide just in June 15 new jobs, another 35 are planned within this year.
The company
2002 asola was just founded in Munich under the name ASS Automotive Solar Systems GmbH. In 2003 the Start-up company began their production in the formerly known premises of the Technologie- und Medienzentrum Erfurt, only a few meters away from today’s new building. With leased machinery and a total production capacity of 3 Megawatt, the company developed and produced special solutions for the automotive industry.
Only four years later the company started their business activities in the Italian market and moved, due to the increased demand, to Isseroda where the annual production capacity reached 15 Megawatt.
In May 2008 the American company Quantum Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: QTWW) acquired strategical 24,9% of asola. In return the Thuringia company supplied the essential Know-how for a 30 Megawatt production facility into the USA and assured it’s access to the North American market. Further majority interests are already on the way for Italy, Korea und Morocco.
This year at the Detroit Motor Show Fisker Automotive, Inc from Irvine, CA presented a new luxury sports car with Q-DRIVE plug-in hybrid technology called KARMA. The entire roof of the car is assembled with photovoltaic technology from asola and is worldwide the biggest, high-performanced spherical solar module.
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Intersolar 2009, 27.5.-29.5.2009
Visit us in hall A1 on stand 420!
asola - Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH is going to be represented at the Intersolar 2009 again. Intersolar is the world's largest solar technology trade fair and the number one meeting point for everyone in the solar industry. Intersolar focuses on the Photovoltaic, Solar Thermal and Solar Architecture branches. In June 2008, at its new location in Munich, more than 1,050 exhibitors presented their products and services across 76,000 sqm exhibition space – an increase of more than 120% from 2007. Intersolar 2008 featured just under 52,000 visitors from 140 countries, making it the most international Intersolar yet.
This year, from May 27 to 29, over 1,400 exhibitors will be presenting their products and services in an exhibition area covering 100,000 square meters. 60,000 visitors are expected to attend.
To underline it’s own rapid growth path, asola has doubled it’s floor space this year. Besides their highlights from their automotive activities the company from Erfurt will dedicate the event their own new production extension. On Friday 5th of June the brand new production facility with an annual output capacity of more than 45 MW will be inaugurated by the Thuringia Premier Dieter Althaus. With this asola, well know for it’s uncompromising quality products with more than 20 years of experience, is promoted also to the be one the top volume manufacturers in the PV industry.
Quantum and Asola Awarded $17 Million Solar Module Supply Contract by a Leading German Solar System Supplier
Irvine, CA – May 27, 2008 – Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: QTWW) today announced that its German solar partner, Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, has won a $17 million contract from Sunworx GmbH, for the supply of high-efficiency silicon photovoltaic solar modules. Sunworx, which is one of the leading solar system suppliers in Germany, will take delivery of these modules in 2008.“Sunworx is notable for their innovative solutions, consistent growth and long-term business success. Asola is pleased to partner with this dynamic company, as they share our passion for the highest quality and reliability,” said Asola's founder and CEO, Reinhard Wecker.
Intersolar 2008, 12.6.-14.6.2008
Visit us on stand 586 in hall B4!The Intersolar 2008, Europe’s largest trade fair for solar technology, is opening its gates in Munich for the very first time. The Intersolar is the key location for all those involved in the international solar power sector and the number of trade visitors has grown enormously over the past few years.
The fair is expected to attract about 40,000 trade visitors to an exhibition area measuring 76,000 m2 this year. As ever, asola will be there again this year.
Come and visit us at stand 586 in hall B4.
Asola Poised To Boost Solar Capacity To 45 MW
Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. says its German solar partner, Asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH, is expanding its annual solar module manufacturing capacity to 45 MW. Asola has successfully secured financing for this expansion and plans to commission a new facility by this fall. Quantum and Asola have entered into a long-term supply agreement with Ersol Solar Energy AG for the procurement of 155 MW of high-efficiency silicon photovoltaic solar cells. Together with supply contracts with other major suppliers around the world (i.e., MOTECH, Sunergy and others), the Ersol agreement guarantees a steady supply of solar cells to Quantum and Asola, the companies say.SOURCE: Quantum, 21.May 2008
Press release 02.11.2007
| - | Module manufacturer asola Advanced and Automotive Solar Systems GmbH concludes EUR 230 million contract with ersol |
| - | Cell deliveries for a period of 10 years |
| - | Joint focus on the US market with California-based Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ:QTWW) |
Erfurt, 2 November 2007. From 2008, ersol Solar Energy AG (ersol) will deliver silicon solar cells to the module producer asola, based in Erfurt, Germany. To this end, both companies have today signed a long-term supply agreement that will run until 2017. The total volume of the contract amounts to around € 230 million. ersol is scheduled to receive down payments from asola, which will later be credited to the German module producer, when purchasing solar cells, in the form of a purchase price reduction.
“In parallel to their production in Erfurt, Quantum and asola are planning a 30 MWp production plant in California. For ersol, the signing of this contract again offers the chance to further develop the US market, which will become a key market in the future,” says Dr Claus Beneking, CEO of ersol AG, following the signing of the new customer agreement. The conclusion of this latest contract saw ersol increase its order volume for solar cells to more than € 3 billion.
asola plans to extend its production facilities in Erfurt to over 30 MWp by the end of 2008 and is achieving this with the help of Quantum Technologies (NASDAQ:QTWW), which is acquiring 24.9% interest in the Thuringia-based company. “asola and Quantum appreciate ersol’s first-class cell technology and its anticipated continued development. This delivery agreement forms the basis for further contracts with even bigger volumes,” says Reinhard Wecker, Managing Director of asola, explaining his decision for the “made by ersol” solar cells. “Together with the new stakeholder Quantum, we will further double our capacity in Germany, and we will expand into the US, Italy and Spain.”
“As a California-based company, we believe that Quantum, together with asola, is well positioned to capitalize on the multi-billion dollar California Solar Initiative, which provides incentives for solar installations over the next decade for residential homes and commercial, industrial and agricultural purposes,” says Alan P. Niedzwiecki, President and CEO of Quantum.