FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

International Solar Energy Trade Mission to China will meet with market leaders of Chinese PV Industry

Rotterdam, 7 March 2006 -- The participants of the “PV Business Tour China 2006” will meet with the leaders and rising stars of the Chinese PV industry such as Suntech Power and Baoding Yingli Solar. This international and PV dedicated trade mission will be held from 9-15 April 2006. Anyone interested in exploring business opportunities with Chinese companies and in the Chinese market can register for this PV Tour. Almost 20 international business people have already registered. The international and different backgrounds of the delegates provide a further unique way to cement business contacts. SolarPlaza is responsible for the organisation of this tour in close collaboration with the Chinese government agency NDRC/PMO and the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA).

Programme
The focus of this international PV trade mission is to meet with the Chinese manufacturers of solar grade silicon, wafers, cells, modules and other PV components. Visits will be made to cell and module manufacturers Suntech Power and Baoding Yingli Solar. Market capitalisation increased Suntech’s value to more than € 2.5 billion, the highest in the world for a PV company. Yingli Solar produces wafers, cell, modules and PV systems and its ambition is to reach a module production capacity of 100 MWp in 2006.

Several companies and organisations will give a presentation such as Beijing Corona, Beijing Hope and, of course, the RE association CREIA and government agency PMO. A further visit is scheduled to upcoming cell and module manufacturer Wuxi Shangpin Solar. As part of the tour, a dedicated symposium on the topic of Chinese solar grade silicon and wafer production will be organised in Shanghai. Major players such as LDK Solar, Comtec Solar Technology and Trina Solar will present their experiences and future plans. This symposium will end with an informal dinner.

Furthermore, all major Chinese PV companies and those interested in (starting) OEM activities will be invited to join the brokerage event on the first day in Beijing or on the last day in Shanghai. Companies can present themselves in 3 minutes to enhance further efficient contacts and one-on-one meetings. It is expected that these brokerage events, which will end with an informal dinner, will be attended by at least 20 Chinese companies.
All major PV companies in and around Shanghai will be invited to attend the brokerage event on the last day of the tour. Shanghai recently presented a 100,000 solar roof plan, the largest grid-connected PV initiative in China so far.

Fully organised trade mission
The PV Business Tour programme is fully organised and includes stays in 4-star hotels and all travel arrangements. The all-inclusive fee for the tour is € 3,750. Participants only have to arrange their return flight tickets to Beijing where the tour starts.
Business owners, entrepreneurs and executives interested in developing partnership networks and to discover collaboration and market opportunities are very welcome to join the trade mission. The details of the complete programme and a registration form are available on our website: www.solarplaza.com, the global solar PV marketplace for trade and information.
Companies interested are advised to act quickly since the number of delegates will be limited as will be the availability of flights to Beijing. Participants must also apply for a visa. The Chinese organisers and SolarPlaza will provide a formal invitation letter necessary when applying for a visa.

Market expectations
The Chinese PV industry is growing rapidly with many new entrants. The ambition of the Chinese PV industry is to grow with about 400% in the coming 5 years. Currently, China is the world’s third country in terms of solar cell production capacity with more than 20 manufacturers. The domestic solar PV market is expected to grow by at least 40% in 2006. Similar growth figures can be expected for the following years. The new Renewable Energy Law (REL) became effective as of 1 January. The Chinese government has set a PV goal of 450 MW of installed capacity by 2010. Industrial activities are stimulated by tax incentives and other benefits, which provide a good foundation for further growth. Recently the SolarPlaza report “The Chinese PV Market and Industry” showed that it will be likely that the Chinese PV industry will dominate the global market within 5 years.

About SolarPlaza
www.SolarPlaza.com is the global PV marketplace that offers a range of services to empower solar business activities. The “PV Business Tour China 2006” is the successor of a similar trade mission to Spain last year. SolarPlaza will organise this Spanish tour once again from 4 to 9 June 2006. More information about these business tours and market reports can be found if you visit www.solarplaza.com.

Contact: Edwin Koot, President, SolarPlaza, +31 10 280 9198 or e.koot@solarplaza.com

###