The Only Manufacturer with Most "First" Achievements in the Vertical Supply Chain
HSINCHU, June 3 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO) will exhibit at 2010 Intersolar in Munich, Germany from June 9-11 to showcase a series of innovative solar technologies. After the integration of vertical supply chain in just over a year, AUO has achieved many industry-leading technologies in solar upstream and downstream value chains. It is the only manufacturer that can integrate all outstanding technologies at the same time in the solar industry.
The products AUO will showcase at Intersolar include high-efficiency EcoDuo mono-crystalline solar modules, EcoDuo PM220P00 multi-crystalline solar modules, and first debut of "Smart Module". Intersolar, founded by ESTIF (European Solar Thermal Industry Federation), BSW (German solar industry association) and ISES (The International Solar Energy Society) in 1991, has become the largest solar technology and product trade show in Europe, attracting many well-known global manufacturers to join every year.
AUO will debut the industry-leading "Smart Module" that can increase the power generation at Intersolar this year. A particular layer of thin-film is coated on the surface of the "Smart Module" which can reduce reflection to increase ray transmission and the power generation of PV modules. Besides, this thin-film has self-cleaning ability to dissolve foreign particles on the PV module, so that the surface of the PV module keeps clean. Therefore, it can reduce reflection to increase ray transmission when light is incident, as well as have the obvious anti-reflection effects for incident light with different angles. This effect not only can increase module power, but also can reduce the frequency of manual cleaning and the long-term maintenance cost. Specifically, the PV system using "Smart Module" during the initial operation can increase power generation by about 3%; three months after installation, the power generation can increase by about 4%.
AUO solar is the only "Total Solutions" provider, offering many industry-leading technologies in the vertical supply chain. In terms of polysilicon, AUO now collaborates with M. Setek to obtain high-quality polysilicon and solar wafers on the upstream side to produce the solar cell wafers with the highest efficiency. With the advanced wire saw slicing technology, M. Setek has already established the mass production ability of 140 um ultra-thin wafers. Meanwhile, M. Setek's innovative technology to recycle silicon has been approved for epitaxy, which takes leading place in the world. AUO's upstream product processing can conform to a green promise as well.
With the strategy of providing the total solutions, AUO will continually cooperate closely with partners in the industrial value chain to rapidly develop the solar market globally. AUO has entered into a joint venture agreement with SunPower to invest in a solar cell manufacturing facility in Malaysia. Through the collaboration in technology and intellectual property, AUO aims to produce solar cells with the highest conversion efficiency rate globally and offer the best services to our clients.
AUO's solar module plant in Brno is the first automated module plant in Europe among Taiwanese companies. The equipment move-in was completed in April, and the module plant plans to enter into mass production in June of this year. The total capacity is expected to reach 100MW in 2011. The production line is built with a highly integrated automation system, which significantly increases product precision. The quality of the solar modules is therefore assured, offering the best choice of products "designed by Taiwan and made in Europe" for European customers.
In addition, AUO aggressively participates in larger projects and PV investments, expecting to execute open-field PV system projects in Italy. It is estimated the total power generation can reach 6.5 MWp. The project in Verona in Northern Italy for the power generation of 752kWp will be finished in June 2010. AUO will also tightly cooperate with local agents in each country to jointly develop a whole sales network of PV modules. It is expected that global sales offices will be established by the end of 2010, offering great and timely energy services to global clients.
ABOUT AU OPTRONICS
AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) is a global leader of thin film transistor liquid crystal display panels (TFT-LCD). AUO is able to provide customers with a full range of panel sizes and comprehensive applications, offering TFT-LCD panels in sizes ranging from 1.2 inches to greater than 65 inches. AUO generated NT$359.3 billion (US$11.2 billion) in sales revenue* in 2009 and now houses a staff of more than 42,000 employees, with global operations in Taiwan, Mainland China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the U.S., and Europe. Additionally, AUO is the first pure TFT-LCD manufacturer to be successfully listed at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). AUO extended its market to the green energy industry in late 2008, and formally founded its Solar Photovoltaic Business Unit in October, 2009. For more information, please visit AUO.com.
* 2009 year end revenue converted at an exchange rate of NTD31.95:USD1.
Safe Harbour Notice
AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a global leader of TFT-LCD panels, today announced the above news. Except for statements in respect of historical matters, the statements contained in this Release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements were based on our management's expectations, projections and beliefs at the time regarding matters including, among other things, future revenues and costs, financial performance, technology changes, capacity, utilization rates, yields, process and geographical diversification, future expansion plans and business strategy. Such forward looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including risks related to the flat panel display industry, the TFT-LCD market, acceptance of and demand for our products, technological and development risks, competitive factors, and other risks described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11th, 2010.
