BELECTRIC Becomes the First Company in the World to Install 1Gigawatt of Photovoltaic Power

With the commissioning of multiple photovoltaic systems at the beginning of this week, BELECTRIC has become the first company in the world to install more than 1 gigawatt of photovoltaic power, which corresponds to the system output of a large conventional power plant. “This is an outstanding event for BELECTRIC and the photovoltaics industry in general. My special thanks go to all the employees who have driven forward the development of the company in all parts of the world in the past 10 years,” stated Bernhard Beck, CEO of BELECTRIC, with no small measure of pride at this shared achievement. “At BELECTRIC, we employ over 2,000 people across the globe in areas such as research, plant construction and maintenance. Our machine park, the development and production of system components in our production areas and the in-house construction of power plants are the unique selling points of our company.”

The breaking of the 1 gigawatt barrier and the company’s tenth anniversary, which was celebrated this month, both give us occasion to reflect on the success story of our company. BELECTRIC’s ascent to the position of global market leader has been continual and based on substance, with the company never resting on its successes or simply banking on state subsidies. Research, innovation and quality are the key terms for the dynamic and sustainable history of the company: “Much of that which is today seen as standard in the photovoltaics industry was researched, developed and brought to market readiness by BELECTRIC,” stated Chief Sales Officer Martin Zembsch, with regard to the most important success factors. The partners BELECTRIC works with in project business are another important success factor. When it comes to modules, BELECTRIC relies on the expertise and years of experience of First Solar and Solar Frontier. Both module manufacturers are financially stable and long term orientated.

BELECTRIC has long been the innovation leader in the industry. From the start, the focus has been on making solar power generation competitive with fossil fuels. The development of grid-stabilizing solar power plants makes the functionality of solar power generation equal to that of large conventional power plants and enables the intelligent integration of renewable energy sources in existing electricity networks. BELECTRIC will continue to use its innovative strength for establishing solar power worldwide. New technologies, as implemented by BELECTRIC, make it possible to develop this switch to alternative energy sources in a cheaper and more effective manner all around the world and are the keys to the integration of renewable energy sources in the network – another area in which BELECTRIC aspires to assume a pioneering role in the future.

About BELECTRIC®: BELECTRIC is the global market leader (2010 & 2011) in the development and construction of ground-mounted solar power plants and roof-mounted photovoltaic systems. BELECTRIC's position as market leader is due to the high degree of vertical integration in the development and manufacturing processes. The company employs over 2,000 people across the globe in areas such as research, plant construction and maintenance. The majority of BoS components – such as cabling and energy distribution systems, inverter technology, control systems, and substructures – are manufactured in house. This unique selling point means that BELECTRIC is able to adapt the individual components perfectly to their application, reducing the costs per kWh generated (LCOE) over the long term and ensuring the provision of reliable and efficient plant technology. Engineers and technicians conduct interdisciplinary research in all areas of photovoltaics and develop innovative technology that forms the basis for the environmentally friendly power supply of the future. Among other things, state-of-the-art power plant technology supports our existing network infrastructure through the provision of grid services and thereby contributes to financial relief in the energy sector. BELECTRIC demonstrates its great innovative spirit, with over 100 patents filed every year. Alongside solar power generation, BELECTRIC Drive® concentrates on the combination of photovoltaics and e-mobility. Further information can be found at www.belectric.com.