AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 21, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- United Solar, a leading global manufacturer of lightweight, flexible thin-film solar modules and a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Conversion Devices (Nasdaq:ENER), announced the completion of a 1.1 megawatt (MW) solar power system on the rooftop of a logistics center in Marignane, France. The facility will be used by Eurocopter, a subsidiary of EADS, a world leader in defense, aerospace and related services, and DAHER, an integrated equipment and services supplier. The solar installation will cover the 46,500 square meter warehouse and will provide enough power for 2,250 local residents with a carbon offset of more than 873 metric tons per year.
The building was built to the new HQE® (high environmental quality) standard in France by BARJANE, a developer of business parks and logistics sites in France, who will own and manage the building and its rooftop solar system. BARJANE chose the UNI-SOLAR solution due to its very light weight (3.8kg/m2), the ability to lay the solar panels flat directly onto the waterproofing membrane, all this while producing a higher rating of 1,239kWh/kWp compared to alternative solutions. The UNI-SOLAR laminates were bonded to a waterproof membrane by Derbigum, a United Solar channel partner, to form their DERBISOLAR® PV product.
"This is another example of the strength of the partnership between United Solar and Derbigum, and our ability to provide solar solutions for blue-chip customers to meet their energy, environmental and social responsibility needs," said Ted Amyuni, President-EMEA, United Solar.
United Solar has more than 25 years experience in the industry of solar power generation, and is the largest manufacturer of lightweight flexible solar panels in the world.
About Energy Conversion Devices/United Solar
Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) (Nasdaq:ENER) is a leader in building-integrated and rooftop photovoltaics. The company manufactures, sells and installs thin-film solar laminates that convert sunlight to clean, renewable energy using proprietary technology. ECD's UNI-SOLAR® brand products are unique because of their flexibility, light weight, ease of installation, durability, and real-world efficiency. The company also designs, manufactures and installs rooftop photovoltaic systems, which enable customers to transform unused space on the rooftop into a value-generating asset. In addition, ECD's Ovonic Materials Division is the pioneer in NiMH battery technology, and is developing low cost fuel cells, hydrogen production from bioreformation, and hydrogen storage technologies. For more information, please visit energyconversiondevices.com.
CONTACT: Energy Conversion Devices Investor Relations Contact: Michael E. Schostak, Head of Investor Relations investor.relations@energyconversiondevices.com (248) 299-6063 United Solar Public Relations Contact: Wendy Ventura, Marketing Communications Manager pr@uni-solar.com (248) 299-6064
