SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct 12, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- SunPower Corporation (Nasdaq: SPWR), a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of the world's highest-efficiency, commercially available solar cells and solar panels, today announced that the Los Altos Hills' Town Hall in California has generated more than 45,000 kilowatt-hours of clean, pollution-free electrical energy in its first year of power generation using SunPower's high-efficiency solar panels.
The 30 kilowatt AC town hall solar system uses 176 of SunPower's ultra-high-efficiency solar panels, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 13 tons and airborne particulates by over 21 pounds, significantly decreasing the city's greenhouse gas emissions while improving the region's overall air quality. The solar system includes 23 kilowatt AC solar panels mounted on the roof and 7 kilowatt AC panels mounted on the ground next to the town hall building.
"With a limited unshaded roof area, the town hall system required the most efficient solar panels on the market to maximize energy production per square foot," said Breene Kerr, a councilman and former mayor of Los Altos Hills, Calif. "SunPower has exceeded our expectations in terms of solar technology, energy savings and its commitment to helping us meet our goals. The town of Los Altos Hills takes a tremendous amount pride in what we've accomplished to date and looks forward to expanding our SunPower solar system."
The $4.5 million Los Altos Hills' Town Hall, dedicated in June 2006, is the cornerstone project for the city's goal to cut all city electricity use by 50 percent in five years. Solar power supplies approximately half of the electrical energy used by the municipal center annually. Performance results from the town's solar monitoring system can be accessed at http://www.losaltoshills.ca.gov/pvsystem/guihtm.php .
In addition to the town hall solar system, the town of Los Altos Hills has also eliminated permit fees for solar system installations and offers a development area bonus of up to 500 square feet to homeowners who install roof-mounted solar panels on new homes or remodels.
"We're excited to be a part of this great local success story," said Tom Werner, SunPower's CEO. "The Los Altos Town Hall project -- in the heart of the Silicon Valley's thriving solar industry -- demonstrates the endless possibilities of combining the world's best solar technology with pragmatic policy-making. We look forward to continuing to help our local and global customers meet their solar-electric power goals."
SunPower's solar panels generate 50 percent more power per square foot than conventional solar technologies, giving the Los Altos Hills town hall the maximum power from its rooftop system at a reduced cost. SunPower's solar panels have no moving parts and create pollution-free, no-cost electricity with virtually no maintenance.
For more information about SunPower's solar panels, visit the SunPower website at http://www.sunpowercorp.com/html/Products/Solar/modules.html .
About SunPower
SunPower Corporation designs and manufactures high-efficiency silicon solar cells and solar panels based on an all-back contact cell design. SunPower's solar cells and panels generate up to 50 percent more power per unit area than conventional solar technologies and have a uniquely attractive, all-black appearance. For more information on SunPower or solar technology, please visit the SunPower website at http://www.sunpowercorp.com . SunPower is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: CY).
Forward Looking Statement
Statements made in this release that are not historical in nature and that refer to SunPower's plans and expectations for the future, are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We use words such as "estimates," "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "future," "look forward," "planning," "intends" and similar expressions to identify such forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially due a variety of factors, including but not limited to the risks identified in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in this release are based upon information available to SunPower as of the date of this release, which may change, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statement.
NOTE: SunPower is a registered trademark of SunPower Corp. Cypress is a registered trademark of Cypress Semiconductor Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE SunPower Corporation
Julie Blunden, Vice President External Affairs, +1-408-240-5577, or julie.blunden@sunpowercorp.com, or Helen Kendrick, Communications Manager, +1-408-240-5585, or helen.kendrick@sunpowercorp.com, both of SunPower Corporation
http://www.sunpowercorp.com/
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