SOLON completes acquisition of Italian start-up company Estelux

Berlin, December 15, 2008 - SOLON SE, Berlin, Germany, has increased its equity investment in the Italian start-up company Estelux s.r.l. to 100 percent. In June 2008, SOLON had initially purchased a strategic interest of 19.5 percent. The shares are held by SOLON's Italian subsidiary SOLON S.p.A. Estelux, founded in 2007, plans to establish a plant for the production of solar silicon in Ferrara, northern Italy. The plant shall have an initial annual capacity of 4,000 tons by the end of 2010. The site is ready for construction, with preliminary activities already started and detail engineering ongoing.The total investment volume amounts to approx. EUR 400 million. Additional investors shall be contacted after the necessary construction permit expected for the first quarter of 2009 has been received. The purpose of this strategic investment is to broaden SOLON's supply base for raw materials and to secure the company's long-term access to additional volumes of solar silicon and solar cells.

SOLON acquires strategic stake in Italian start-up company Estelux

Berlin, June 4, 2008 - Berlin-based SOLON AG, one of Europe's biggest manufacturers of solar modules and photovoltaic systems for the construction of large-scale solar power plants, has acquired a 19.5 percent stake in the Italian start-up company Estelux s.r.l.
Estelux plans to build up production of solar silicon using the well-established Siemens process. To this end, the company intends to set up a production site in the north Italian town of Ferrara with an annual production capacity of 4,000 tonnes. Production is scheduled to commence at the end of 2010.
The total investment will amount to approx. EUR 360 million.
The purpose of this strategic investment is to broaden SOLON's supply base for raw materials in what remains a demand-driven market and to secure the company's long-term access to additional volumes of solar silicon and solar cells.

Jacobs Receives Contract for New Polysilicon Plant
in Ferrara, Italy

PASADENA, CALIF.— Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:JEC) announced today that it received a contract from Estelux to provide engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) services for a new polysilicon manufacturing facility at Ferrara petrochemical site, in Italy.
Officials did not disclose contract details.
Estelux is a new company, participated of the SOLON Group, dedicated to the production of solar grade polysilicon for the photovoltaic industry. Polysilicon is purified silicon which is at the base of all crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells panels. Estelux plant production will therefore cover a fundamental step of an integrated complete photovoltaic supply chain, which starts with solar grade polysilicon production and ends with the installation of photovoltaic systems.
Jacobs will execute the work from its Milan office with support from specialist offices in Greenville, South Carolina, USA and Mumbai, India. Jacobs Milan office previously completed Preliminary Design of the plant.
The new plant will consist of two production buildings, where the polysilicon production process starts with trichlorosilane decomposition to form silicon rods, with a special closed process system; and a finishing building, with laboratories and control rooms, where the rods are crushed, transformed and packed in contamination controlled environment. The facility will have top-class off-gas treatment plants; a High Voltage electrical substation (with transformation and distribution stations for Medium and Low Voltage); a waste water treatment plant; distillation and fractionation columns; associated utilities; and other infrastructures.
The original and traditional production process called “Siemens process” has been optimized by Estelux Team to achieve a top-class product quality. The plant will reach its full operating capacity in 2010, with a polysilicon production of 4,000 tons per year. The total investment will amount to approx. EUR 360 million.
The facility will be built on an area inside the Ferrara petrochemical site, following to demolition and enabling works to be carried out before construction activities, and will implement solutions to minimize environmental impact. Design and construction will maximize energy saving through solar panel utilities usage and recycling technologies, as well as sustainable water and rail transportation solutions and logistics issues. The plant’s proximity to the raw material for production limits hazardous materials handling to directly controlled adjacent areas inside the petrochemical site.
Domenico Sartore, Estelux’ Chief Executive Officer noted “Estelux is a pioneer in the Photovoltaic and Sustainability Industry and we are glad to have Jacobs as a partner in this investment because we share the same vision and approach to always develop innovative solutions”.
In making the announcement, Jacobs Group Vice President Robert Matha said, “We are proud to be selected by Estelux for this strategic project. Jacobs is committed to deliver the highest value of service to help Estelux establish a strong market-leader position and satisfy the growing demand for polysilicon-based renewable energy sources.”
Estelux is an Italian start–up company with a mission to provide first-class polysilicon, strategic to the entire photovoltaic supply chain.
Jacobs, with over 55,000 employees and revenues exceeding $9.0 billion, provides technical, professional, and construction services globally.
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