solar power plantTHE mobilE

www.suncHargEr.dE

solarworldw w w . s o l a r w o r l d . c o m issuE nº 01

NOMINAL CHARGE €8

THE arT oF maKing a wisE dEcisionCONSUMERS CAN MAKE

A DIFFERENCE!PAGE 20

JusT a maTTEr oF TasTE?

HOW PRODUCTS TURN INTO BRANDS

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solar PionEEr EncouragEs coal minErs To “go solar”

RENEWABLE ENERGY IN WEST VIRGINIA

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THE FUTURE IS SMART AND INDEPENDENT

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ThE ANSwERS To ThE bIggEST qUESTIonS oF THE FUTURE alREady ExIST Today.

s u n - E - m o T i o n

Intelligent, sustainable, independent – a modern outlook on life gets a boost from the sun. The e-bike tanks up on solarpower at home or on the road and gives cyclists a new way to travel.

dEaR READERS,

We would like to introduce you to the fascinating world of solar energy through our

new magazine, “SolarWorld.” The stories found on these pages will take you on a round-

the-world journey of discovery and inspiration. Meet a group of European students who are

currently circumnavigating the world in a solar-powered car. [ Pa g E 0 6 , 4 0 ] Find out how Haiti

is beginning to get back on its feet two years after a devastating earthquake. [ Pa g E 1 0 ]

Families start their personal energy turnaround at home. [ Pa g E 1 2 ] See why companies from

gütersloh to Milwaukee are re-thinking their manufacturing locations and be inspired by

a solar installer who is breaking new ground in the largest coal-mining area in the United

States. [ Pa g E 3 6 ]

With their spectacular actions, unusual ideas and smart decisions, people like these are

starting to find answers today to some of the greatest questions facing us in the future.

Everything’s at stake. a solar-powered system is much more than engineering. It’s an

amazing concept – and the vision of a forward-looking company that stands above the

renewable-energy crowd. Everyone can become part of this vision.

discover the solar world!

THE EDIToRIAl TEAM

EDITORIAL

i n T r o

Solar power technology can even fulfill the highest design standards. The SunCharger by SolarWorld was awarded the coveted Red Dot Design Award for 2012.More information on the mobile solar device at www.suncharger.de

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PEoPlE HavE To TakE ThE fIRST STEP!

It takes a PIonEERIng SPIRIT and a tremendous amount of courage to brave the skies in an aircraft powered by nothing else but the sun. People like bERTRand PIccaRd are tearing down barriers to prove that SolaR EnERgy is the wave of the future.

T r u E d E d i c aT i o n

4 .

Bertrand Piccard is making his vision come true: A solar airplane that can fly around the world powered by nothing else than the sun. And that’s day and night. Solar Impulse is sending a clear message: Change is possible when someone takes the first step. The team’s spirit of adventure inspires one to rethink. “We want to get people enthu-siastic about this idea,” says Piccard. “The next great adventure is no longer to fly to the moon, but to rid our-selves of our dependency on fossil fuels.” The main sponsors of the project are Solvay, Omega SA, Deutsche Bank and Schindler. In 2011, Piccard, André Borschberg and his team were recognized with a SolarWorld Einstein Award. x

SEllIng a vISIoN01P r o J E c T

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On the road. Powered by nothing else but the sun, they speed across the Australian Outback. Racing teams have been gathering in Australia for a quarter of a century to pit their solar race cars against others in the toughest solar race in the world: The World Solar Challenge. In 2009, a young team from Germany threw their hats, and the SolarWorld No. 1 race car, into the 1,900-mile challenge. Drivers were confronted with 104° F temperatures in the cockpit and kangaroos on the racecourse. But that didn’t sidetrack them from their objective: to demonstrate the potential of solar energy. This team is currently on a round-the-world jaunt with their SolarWorld Racer GT. Setting out in October 2011, they are facing 21,000 miles, two equator crossings and 365 days on the road. -> More on page 40. x

a PASSIoN FoR THE PRIzE02P r o J E c T

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w w w.y o u T u b E . c o m S e a r c h : c H a r l E s a l E x a n d E r E s c o F F E r y

Some bizarre soapbox derby car? It may have looked like one, but this solar-powered vehicle started a revolution. In 1960, the American Dr. Charles Alexander Escoffery installed a solar panel onto the roof of his car and hit the roads near Oxted in the English county of Surrey. The one-hour drive seemed like a crazy idea at the time, but it caught the world’s attention and proved that solar mobility is indeed possible. Twenty-seven years later, the World Solar Challenge in Australia took such visionary tinkering and trans-formed it into a platform for pioneering technology. x

aSTonISHIng INgENuITy03P r o J E c T

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I S S U E

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p. 03 EdiTorialp. 04 a solar world and iTs PEoPlE p. 10 wHaT’s nEw? nEws From a sunbElT rEgion

p. 12 a smarT FuTurE How the house of the future will be

networked, off the grid and co2-neutral

p. 18 rEcycling How new solar modules are

being built from electronic waste

p. 20 THE arT oF maKing a wisE dEcision

Why more and more people are switching to an ecologically friendly lifestyle

p. 23 wE can maKE a diFFErEncE an interview with actor

Hannes Jaenicke

p. 24 wHy solar? Five good reasons for solar energy

p. 26 i am FascinaTEd by gEnTlE TEcHnologiEs

an interview with photographer Thomas Struth

p. 30 JusT a maTTEr oF TasTE?

How products become brands

p. 34 Ecological FooTPrinT a small step with a big effect

p. 36 solar PionEEr EncouragEs coal minErs To “go solar”

How renewable energy is changing the face of a region

p. 40 iT’s a car!

Why solar is the future of mobility

p. 46 asbEcK uP closE and PErsonalp. 47 masTHEad

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COnTEnT

what´s new? NEWS FROM A

SUN BELT REGION

P r o J E c T

01Two years after an earthquake shook their island nation on 12 January, 2010, Haitians are still struggling with the aftermath. But there’s hope in the middle of despair. International aid organizations and relief projects have rallied together to put the country back on its feet. New neighborhoods and communities have already been built. Solar2World is working to fit hospitals with their own solar-power systems, provid-ing life-saving and dependable support. Solar-powered water pumps are already at work, providing more than 175,000 people with clean drinking water. x

HaITI – on THE Way To REcovERy

w w w. s o l a r 2 w o r l d . c o m

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EnERgIEwENDE goES global

Energy driven, yet environmentally friendly. The pilot project Green Club Index is helping German clubs and discotheques protect both their bottom line and the environment. Lighting, sound systems, and refrigerators running around the clock gobble up electricity. But just a few tricks, like using LED lights or turning off equipment when not in use, can save loads of energy. A sustainable dance floor installed at the Organic Disco converts its dancers’ gyrations into energy. The new motto for having fun in the 21st century? “Careen until you’re green.” x

gREEn cluBBINg

What do Chicago, Paris and Frankfurt have in common? Urban gardening. Roof- tops covered in lettuce, backyards full of cooperative flower power, balconies loaded with organic potatoes and vacant lots turned into vegetable idylls. Creatively – and sometimes illegally – city dwellers are reclaiming nature by planting green oases amid the asphalt and concrete jungles. x

gREEN cITIES

We mix languages all the time. Just as English has crept into every language, German has also impacted on the English language. What would our world be without sauerkraut, kindergarten or zeitgeist? But there’s a new word on every-one’s lips: Energiewende. Whether you pronounce it energiewende or the sustainable energy revolution, it means the same thing: Saving our environment for future generations. x

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s u n a T w o r K

Energy independence is clearly the right choice for me. By producing my own clean electricity, I no longer need to rely on power companies, or worry about rising rates. With Suntrol I can easily monitor my power supply and manage how I use it, then relax knowing it’s all under control.

12 .

a SMART FUTURE

Our HoMES are becoming intelligent. Now able to offer much more than just technical gimmicks, they are providing independent and regenerative power for the future. And more and more people are taking part in this EnERgy REvolUTIon – independent of rising electricity prices.

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s T o r y

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Our sOlar wOrld – smart, renewable, independent!

s m a r T H o m E

What’s the smartest thing in a Smart Home? The owners. After all, they made the wise decision to live an ecologically sensible lifestyle.

14 .

r o o F T o P P o w E r [ 1 ]

The roof: a never-ending resource. Once installed, the solar power system creates clean electricity for decades. The well-insulated façade ensures no valuable energy is lost.

c l E a n a n d s E c u r E E l E c T r i c i T y s u P P ly [ 2 - 3 ]

The battery system SunPac stores excess solar energy, making it available when I need it. So, I can watch TV in the evening with my own elec tricity, long after the sun has gone down. There’s no nuclear- or coal-produced electricity coming out of my power sockets any more.

HoMEMadE EnERgy

all UndER conTRol

SolaR IndEPEndEncE

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m o b i l E a n d i n d E P E n d E n T [ 8 - 1 0 ]

From smartphone to tablet computer, the SunCharger lets you charge mobile devices whenever you need to. It’s SolarWorld’s portable charger, allowing you to use the power of the sun to create electricity while you’re on the move.

The Sun-e-motion electric bike lets you tour the city or the countryside in relaxed comfort. Thanks to the power of the sun, an electric motor helps make riding a little easier and can easily be recharged at solar charging stations.

d E s c

id

d E s c

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d E s c

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i n F o r m aT i o n a n d c o m m a n d c E n T E r [ 4 - 7 ]

With Suntrol mobile, I can check my system’s energy production at any time as well as the amount of CO2 emissions I’m cutting down on. At the touch of a button, Suntrol live allows me to turn on the washing machine or the drier when the system is providing a particularly high amount of electricity.

demand for energy – and protects me from the day we have used up all the Earth’s fossil fuels. With a solar power system, you are set up for the next three or four decades.

Digital technology is a tricky subject for some people. It can make some people feel insecure, making some wonder who’s really in charge when control technology takes over? once I’ve opened the door to these technology elements, will I be able to control them or will I be overwhelmed? For some, talk of any kind of technology conjures up scenes from aldous Hux-ley and george orwell! However, mod-ern technology has become a means to an end. and you need technology to gen-erate your own electricity. automation or control technologies, life is easier. For instance, you never have to decide when to turn on the washing machine – technol-ogy could do it for you. Just like many peo-ple wouldn’t know what to do without their navigation systems, homeowners will also come to depend on smart-house technol-ogy, asking themselves, ‘How did I ever do without it?’

a nEW EnERgy ERa

In truth, having a smart house means the people living in it are smart thanks to the technology. They’re smart because they have decided to make their lives more ecologically and economically sustain-able. It’s not about magically-controlled washing machines and talking refrig-erators, but about a whole new energy era of household management. an increasing number of households will be generating their own clean energy and using it more efficiently, linking up with other households and major energy pro-ducers into a virtual renewable power plant. The question of getting all our power from renewable energy is not a question of ‘if,’ but ‘how’ and ‘when.’ Everyone can get involved and join a truly great new movement. x

ut we’re not there yet. It took thousands of years before we humans realized that the Earth rotated on its own axis. Until then, it wasn’t possible to truly understand the regu-lar sequence of day and night, and the interplay between

light and shadow. but it wasn’t easy to discover. Sometimes, when you’re in the middle of the forest, you can’t see it for the trees. Even today, we hardly notice the changes taking place around us. They creep up slowly, but steadily.

Just look back over the last couple of dec-ades and you’ll realize there have been two major developments that have revolution-ized our lives. one is individual respon-sibility. State and governmental agencies used to play a much larger part in regulat-ing our lives. Today, we are more responsi-ble for the decisions we make. The second major development is without doubt the digital revolution. only a few years ago, we were juggling maps. Today we rely on a navigation system and other digital tech-nology to find our way.

More individual responsibility on the one hand, and more digital technology on the other. These two trends have been impact-ing our lives for a long time. but what will it be like when they start taking control of our homes, our privacy and our fami-lies. Is life in a smart house really better?

IndEPEndEnT & InTEllIgEnT

Let’s take a look at individual respon-sibility first. In this respect, the house I live in today is blissfully ignorant of how much energy I use but, I can always count on electricity to come out of the sockets. Every month like clockwork, I receive a bill, which is based on my consumption. So why should I bother producing my own energy? Perhaps simply because, just like I know I am going to get a utility bill, I also know that costs are going to continue to rise. and I can’t do a thing to stop that trend. With a solar power system, I can create my own carbon-neutral power to either use myself or send on to the power grid. being able to generate my own elec-tricity gives me independence from rising costs as a result of the exploding global

Become part of a great new movement

HoW To bEcoME an ElEcTRIcITy

PRodUcER?

MoRE TEcHnology In My HoME?

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A s m A r t f u t u r e

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Whether business trip or active holiday – the solar power plant is always at hand

VIsIt www.suNtROL-PORtAL.COM

tO sEE MORE tHAN 5,000 sOLAR PLANts

At wORk AROuNd tHE wORLd.

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COmpLE TE SOLUTIOnS

WHaT HaPPEnS To THE ElEcTRoNIc ScRAP?

18 .

Recycling makes solar power completely sustainable. To be truly environmentally conscious, we all need to con-sider how to keep the things we buy from ending up in landfill. Each of us can do our part to reduce our trash burden by recycling our household garbage. Why not do the same thing with spent photovoltaic modules? SolarWorld is leading the way, proving that it is indeed possible! Ten years ago, SolarWorld launched the first pilot plant in the world that recycles old modules. The company is now working on second-generation recycling. With its note-worthy efforts, SolarWorld is sending a clear message that for technology to be green it has to be green from start to finish! SolarWorld has received quite a few awards for its commitment to the environment. For instance, in 2011, SolarWorld earned the year’s highest rating from Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC). x

95 PERcEnT can bE USEd To PRoDucE ANoThER MoDulE!

g l a s s a n d s i l i c o n P r o c E s s i n g

Glass and silicon are separated. 94.3 percent of the glass and 72.8 percent of the silicon can be used again.

T H E r m a l ly i n d u c E d c o m P o s i T E s E Pa r aT i o n

The modules are heated to separate the different materials. Aluminum frames are completely reused; other metals are reused up to 99 percent.

c o l l E c T i o n

Installers remove spent modules and send them for reprocessing.

d i s a s s E m b ly

Electrical junction boxes are removed by hand and collected as electronic scrap; cable remains are recycled.

c y c l E o F r E u s a b l E m a T E r i a l s

95.7 percent of the waste by weight of components taken from older modules can be used to manufacture new ones.

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Ecological cyclE

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ORLANDOBLOOm

STEvENSPIELBERG

CAmERONDIAz

THE aRT oF MAkINg A wISE DEcISIoN

thanks to the Internet, consumers are better informed than ever, buying products from companies they trust and who share their convictions. Going to show that you don’t have to be a cElEbRITy to make the WoRld a bETTER PlacE .

s T o r y

20 .

JuLIAROBERTS

LEONARDODI CAPRIO

BRADPITT

eonardo di Caprio loves fast cars. His sports car has 250 horsepower and accelerates from 0 to 60 in just 3.7 seconds. Impressive, yes, but that’s not what makes it so special. di caprio’s Tesla Roadster doesn’t

run on gas. Fueled only by electricity, it’s an environmentally friendly alternative to a Porsche or lamborghini. The actor doesn’t just have a reputation for being an activist on the big screen in such works as “The 11th Hour” and “blood diamond.” He lives his conscience, and the Tesla is proof. “Sports car” and “environmental protection” are no longer a contradiction in terms. di caprio has cultivated the art of making a wise decision.

HollyWood goES gREEn

The media pays attention to movie stars and their causes. In the 1980s, actors like brigitte bardot and Robert Redford spoke out to generate awareness about the envi-ronment. Today, Hollywood is taking a more holistic approach. beyond just talk, actors are now living “green” and fight-ing against social injustice, bringing more attention and credibility to their causes than ever before.

Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts is an eco-celeb who walks the walk. Her man-sion in Malibu is a case in point. Roberts used sustainable building materials to ensure a healthy living climate and cov-ered her massive roof in solar panels to generate green electricity. She’s not alone. orlando bloom used the latest environ-mental standards to build his eco-house in london. cameron diaz uses solar energy, and Steven Spielberg doesn’t just drive an electric car, he also invests in electric mobility. brad Pitt’s ‘Make It Right’ organization is building envi-ronmentally friendly houses in katrina-racked new orleans.

RESPonSIbIlITy coUnTS

But you don’t have to be a celebrity to make a difference. a lot of people are

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rating. In 2011, SolarWorld became amer ica’s most ‘liked’ solar company, reaching 23,000 fans.

Of course, the Internet can seem at times like an impenetrable jungle of informa-tion. However, consumers can find their way by seeking out neutral, trusted organizations. For example websites of research institutes and non-governmen-tal organizations often provide informa-tion about specific products and manufac-turers. Engaged consumers also consult with family, friends, and colleagues. Fully informed with research, statistics, and commentary from friends, today’s buy-ers are more confident about the prod-ucts and manufacturers they select than ever before.

bE an aMbaSSadoR FoR cHangE

How are companies fairing in this new information age? The Internet makes it easier for companies to share their beliefs, but it also makes them much easier to see through. a networked world doesn’t make it easy to get away with unethical behav-ior. For a company to win consumer con-fidence, it has to be completely open and operate under a clear value system.

To build customer confidence, a brand has to be more than a product claim. It has to be founded on a solid reputation for responsible practices and set values. The more consistent a company is in commu-nicating this, the more loyal its customers.

Buyers are being empowered by the art of making a wise decision. and that’s not just in Hollywood. according to the otto group’s Trend Study, almost 60 percent of those surveyed responded that consumers have more influence over companies than ever before.

as german actor and environmentalist Hannes Jaenicke explains in the interview on the next page, “consumers drive the market – we have the power to influence sustainable commerce and industry.” x

Shoppers, from celebrities to average citizens, are willing to reprioritize their personal preferences, choosing to pur-chase something from a company that meets these ethical criteria over compa-nies that do not. consumers who value equality and social responsibility, health and an intact environment are more and more choosing to do business with com-panies who share these values. Thankfully social responsibility, lifestyle and aesthet-ics are becoming easier to find in combi-nation. That means we can now buy things we both like and that have been produced according to ethical criteria.

And how do we know which companies share our values? one of the benefits of the Internet is the opportunity it gives us to gather and exchange information from around the world. Social networks like Facebook and information-sharing plat-forms such as Wikipedia are open 24/7, and information is exchanged in a heart-beat. The effect is that consumers can find out what they want to know and be active decision-makers much more easily – and their impact on corporate social responsi-bility is palpable.

When it comes to environmental aware-ness, production, and customer and employee treatment, consumers expect a company to be transparent and accounta-ble. and they can add their own feedback too. all they have to do is pull up com-parative offers and click “like” or give a

living according to the same environ-mental principles, buying with their conscience. according to estimates by the natural Marketing Institute (nMI) in Pennsylvania, americans are spend-ing about US$290 billion on socially and environmentally responsible prod-ucts and services. and the trend is grow-ing. according to the results of the 2011 Trend Study ‘verbraucher-vertrauen’ on ethical consumerism, more than 70 percent of germans shop according to ethical criteria.

It’s an impressive figure, but what exactly are ‘ethical criteria?’ Sounds more like something Plato would say. but it’s not some philosophical ideology. It’s a set of very concrete, decision-making tools. For many of us, ethical consumerism is just a matter of course. We want to buy products from companies that operate according to ethical standards, such as manufactur-ing sustainably, providing humane work-ing conditions and promoting fair trade. We also want to buy local products that are recyclable.

conSUMERS aRE bEcoMIng

acTIvE dEcISIon-MakERS

EqUalITy, SocIal RESPonSIbIlITy, HEalTH and an InTacT EnvIRonMEnT INfluENcE coNSuMER BEhAvIoR

22 .

i n T E r v i E w

H a n n E s J a E n i c K E [ 5 2 ]

German actor Hannes Jaenicke (52), who spent part of his childhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is known for his work in television and film, such as the German crime series ‘Tatort’ or the American movie ‘Lost Treasure’. He has been a com-mitted environmentalist and involved in Greenpeace since his teenage years.

WE can MAkE A DIffERENcE

your work in environmental protection takes you around the world, but where do you go to relax?H . J . There are a lot of places. I love africa and feel at home in australia, but bavaria’s lake ammersee is also wonderful. Whether it’s a lake, river or ocean, I like to be near the water. It just makes me to sad to see how man is destroying nature’s beauty.

Is that what made you become an environmental activist?H . J . It’s all about this place we call home. Mother Earth. If we mistreated our own mothers as badly as we do the planet, we’d all be in jail.

what needs to be changed?H . J . In late 2011, I sat on a german roundtable discussion entitled “Is an eco-dictator next?”. you know what – I think we actually need something like that. not a real dic-tator, of course, but we need to introduce tough laws so that environmental protection becomes a non-negotiable priority. otherwise, it’s going to be the same old same old: Too little, too late. The Earth is warming and co2 is being blasted into the atmosphere like never before. More species are becoming extinct, but pollution is becoming ever more extant.

The natural environment is being exploited all over the world. what can one person do?H . J . don’t get lethargic. on the contrary, government and industry are failing, so consumers have to take up the charge. We can all make a difference.

can you give some examples?H . J . It’s really quite simple. We make about 150 decisions a day that have a direct impact on the environment. For example, if everyone just turned off their Tvs and other electronic devices instead of leaving them on stand-by, we could dismantle two nuclear power stations. and when you buy a stack of T-shirts for three bucks, you can be sure they were made in asia using child labor and toxic cotton. better, fewer T-shirts and know you are buying from a manufacturer that produces according to ethical criteria.

which companies do you trust?H . J . I go to websites like greenpeace and Utopia [in german] to get information before buying. Their sites have a lot of information on a manufacturer’s social responsibility: How they use natural resources and under what conditions their goods are made. Then I take a decision. If we stopped buying anything bottled in plastic or toxic-dye jackets, companies wouldn’t make them anymore. consumers drive the market – we have the power to influence sustainable commerce and industry. x

Actor Hannes Jaenicke has been an environmental activist for years, challenging the government to set ToUgHER

REgUlaTIonS – and consumers to make a conscious decision for SUSTaInablE PRodUcTS .

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why solar? Five good reasons to

choose solar energy

BEcAuSE coNvENTIoNAl RESouRcES wIll SooN BE ExhAuSTED

Because the sun emits much more energy than we need

w o r l d E n E r g y c o n s u m P T i o n

S o l a r r a d i at i o n

Source: Eine solare Welt, BP

2012 2044 2053 2070 2132

5 billion years

S u n P o w e r–––> 41 yEARS

O i l r e s e r v e s

–––> 32 yEARS

U r a n i U m r e s e r v e s

–––> 58 yEARS

G a s r e s e r v e s

–––> 120 yEARS

C o a l r e s e r v e s

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1

kilowatt hours a year (130.246 trillion)

kilowatt a year (156 quintillion)

Source: World Nuclear Association German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, Energy Information Administration

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BEcAuSE ouR Roof- ToPS ARE AN INEx- hAuSTIBlE SouRcE of ENERgy

Because the cost of solar electricity will continue to decrease, while the cost of other resources will only increase

► solar

€1.202010

pER wAT T

€4.202000

► Natural gas

US$8.012010

pER mILLIOn B T U // EU

uS$2.892000

► Crude oil

US$79.502010

pER BA RREL // BREn T

uS$28.502000

► Bituminous coal

US$92.50 2010

pER T On // S T E A m COA L EUROpE

uS$35.992000

P r i c e d e v e l o P m e n t

BEcAuSE, If NoT, ThE EMISSIoN of co2 wIll go oN uNchEckED

60% HigH

Potential

60 percent of commercial rooftops are available for solar arrays in the United States.

Source: 2009 report, Energy Self-Reliant States

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5

4

Source: EPIA, BP

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T H o m a s s T r u T H

was born in 1954 in Geldern, Germany, and is considered to be one of the leading contemporary fine-art photographers. His photographs hang in museums around the world and bring record-breaking prices at auction. Struth is inspired by such subjects as architecture, land-scapes, museums and portraits. For the last few years, he has focused his attention on cutting-edge technologies that the public rarely sees.

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I aM FaScInaTEd by gENTlE TEchNologIES

the photographer THoMaS STRUTH discovers the aesthetic dimensions of modern technologies – for example, solarworld’s module production facilities.

Mr. Struth, your beautifully detailed and often large-format photographs are frequently compared with paintings. Is this a fair assessment?t . s . Well, I was trained as an artist, so I may be more aware of composition than someone who’s only worked in photogra-phy. but, in truth, you really can’t compare the two mediums.

what made you put down your paint brush during your student days and take up the camera?t . s . It had less to do with the art form itself than with the type of subjects I am inter-ested in. Photography provides a direct link to reality. It also leaves me more room to discover something new. When I was painting, I had the feeling most things had been said.

you recently began photographing complex technologies. why?t . s . I am interested in the energies that shape our lives. Even ordinary technol-ogies can have a big impact on our lives and, yet, we hardly ever get a chance to see how they are made. When we watch

cnn, for instance, we aren’t able to look behind the scenes to see how complex global reporting is. Even so, we are sub-liminally aware of an underlying dynamic atmosphere. That’s what I hope to capture in my photographs.

can you explain that a little more?t . s . I recently visited cnn headquarters in atlanta. Since I’m not a technical expert, I don’t get bogged down in the technol-ogy and can look at equipment as a visual expression of complexity and entangle-ment. I then look for structures and ele-ments that help me communicate this.

what effect do you want your photo-graphs to have?t . s . I find it regrettable that the technol-ogy that rules over so many aspects of our lives tends to be hidden behind a veil.

I hope my photographs will offer people a different perspective of contemporary life.

what is it that fascinates you about high-tech equipment?t . s . They’re like a “brain print” – like a footprint we leave in the sand. In the equipment there is a reflection of the intel-ligence it took to make them.

you took pictures at the Solarworld factory in freiberg. what do you think of solar energy?t . s . I am fascinated by gentle technolo-gies – technologies that work to the ben-efit of both man and nature so that we can peacefully coexist. Figuratively speaking, I see solar energy as friendly energy.

The subject of your photograph ‘String handling’ is a machine used to manufacture solar modules. why did you choose that as a subject?t . s . because it makes an incredibly amaz-ing statement! The machine’s fine details perfectly symbolize the gentle and protec-tive nature of this technology. x

i n T E r v i E w

SolaR EnERgy IS a FRIEndly TEcHnology

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JUST a MaTTER of TASTE?

No – Customers today aren’t willing to settle. they want top-quality products bought from reputable companies that have earned a name for excellence. that’s why an increasing number of companies are choosing to manufacture their goods in America and Germany, and customers are looking for the labels “MadE In THE USa” and “MadE In gERMany” .

s T o r y

30 .

. 31

The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI) reported that one in five companies is moving their production back to germany. The same thing is true in the United States. “More and more manufacturing is being brought back from low-wage countries,” says daniel Meckstroth, chief economist at Manufacturers alliance for Productivity (MaPI). a major reason for this is the high cost of transporting foreign-made goods and their extremely poor manufacturing quality. It’s a matter of survival. If com-panies aren’t able to maintain their stand-ards, they will lose their customers to the competition.

MakIng a STand

quality is when the customer returns –and not the product, which is why some manufacturers decided to stay put, never opting to manufacture too far from home. Renowned automobile manufacturer bMW, for instance, has a global market and operates assembly lines all over the world. but all R&d and manufacturing is carried out in central Europe and north amer-ica. It can come as a surprise to many, but manufacturing in the United States and germany isn’t as expensive as one might

ngland, 1875. Intensified inter-national competition brought about by the industrial revo-lution was putting the british economy under pressure. In a bid to distinguish their goods from imports, the british gov-

ernment passed the Trade Mark Regis-tration act. The idea was that, by requir-ing all goods be labeled with their place of origin, consumers would shy away from imported products. We all know how the story ends. originally introduced to dis-criminate against foreign products, it has become a mark of quality.

Things have changed a lot since then. This insular economy has gone global. The world is so intimately entwined that the global market has no borders, and consumers and companies are explor-ing the world in search of products with a good price/performance ratio. The cur-rent mantra is “cheap at all costs,” which unfortunately often sends production off to low-wage countries with less stringent environmental regulations.

But does a product’s place of origin mat-ter anymore? For many, it does. a grow-ing number of international brands are

opting for such time-honored industrial-ized countries as the United States and germany to manufacture their products. It’s been a wise decision. The companies know they can rely on their local plants and, in turn, customers know they can trust the companies to deliver top quality.

The historic, stuffed-animal manufac-turer Steiff, for example, had moved pro-duction to asia for cost benefits. However, Steiff recently brought its production back to germany because goods weren’t meet-ing customer demands. The company was also having problems with foreign sup-pliers and the rapid turnover of its sew-ing staff. “Terminating our dealings in china was the best thing we could have done for the company,” says Managing director Martin Frechen. Toy manufac-turer Mattel was hit even harder. When quality controllers found lead in paint and magnets that were small enough to swal-low in children´s toys, Mattel had to face mass recalls and a US$ 30 million loss.

doES IT MaTTER anyMoRE whERE A PRoDucT IS MADE?

back To THE baSIcS

32 .

think. “It’s less expensive to manufacturer our products here than in china,“ says bob Rice, vice president of Master lock company, the leading US manufacture of padlocks, located in Milwaukee. “not only do we manufacture 30 times faster, we have a well-trained workforce and better technology”.

That probably explains the results of a study carried out by the boston consult-ing group and the U.S. chamber of com-merce. according to its findings, germany is among the most attractive locations for american companies – and vice versa. “besides the high standard of process and product quality, employees are well-trained,” says consultant christian veith. Many american entrepreneurs consider german scientists and engineers to be among the best in the world. “We don’t just have considerable expertise in design, we have highly skilled labor,” says Eduard Sailer, managing director of the professional and household appliance manufacturer Miele. “It’s not easy to find this combina-tion. What’s more, they’re reliable.”

cREaTIng IdEnTITy

Reliability and punctuality mean a lot, but not everything. If they did, all a com-petitor would have to do would have to do is to be on time with the products custom-ers expect. For a company to set itself apart from the tough competition, it has to define unique attributes that inspire trust. Today’s consumer is highly net-worked, well-informed and is picky about the kind of companies it does business with. Well-established brands like Mattel, Miele and Steiff have built up their repu-tations over time. That can’t be stolen, copied or bought.

Young companies in new industries, however, have had to adopt completely new and distinctive corporate cultures, creating their own special identities that set them apart in a vendor-saturated

market. a study commissioned by the german Federal Ministry of labour and Social affairs concluded that up to 31 per-cent of a company’s success can be traced back to the strength of its corporate cul-ture. With a unique ethos that motivates employees to achieve set goals, industry giants like google are showing the way. a strong corporate culture can also sup-port quality. For instance, customers can identify with a company that encourages its employees to share their ideas and see them through. The result is a solid corpo-rate profile and identity, and quality prod-ucts and services.

SolarWorld, a fairly young company itself, has a distinctive identity. Its employees genuinely believe in what they are doing. Says colette Rückert-Hennen, chief human resources and brand officer at SolarWorld, “It’s the employees that make the differ-ence. They create quality that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. not only are they technically qualified, they are exceptionally dedicated. They know they are working for a good cause.” x

made in usa made in germany made in usa made in germany made in usa made in germany made in usa made in germany made in usa GERmAnYGERmAnY

MADE IN

MADE IN

UnITED STATESOf AmERICA

UnITED STATES Of AmERICA

ThE

Madein

Madein

Contrary to the industry trend of sending production off to Asia, SolarWorld manufacturers all its solar power systems in Germany (for Europe) and the United States (for American sales). Its market spans the globe, but its manufacturing facilities are in Freiberg, Germany and Hillsboro, Oregon. Its plants use cutting-edge technology that has been developed over years by its own R&D department and local engineers. Sustainability is key. In 2011, SolarWorld AG was recognized by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) for its environmentally compatible and sustainable production, and high social standards. Each year, the SVTC issues a solar scorecard that ranks world-wide manufacturers of solar photovoltaic modules according to a variety of environmental, sustainability and social justice factors. SolarWorld also belongs to the united Nation’s ‘Global Compact’ and is committed to aligning its operations and strategies in keeping with ten social and environmental principles. Each year, SolarWorld issues an annual report on its progress. Its reporting on sustainability issues has brought SolarWorld special com-mendation in Bank Sarasins’s 2011 study on the solar industry as being a role modell. x

MadE by SolARwoRlD

STRong bRandS bUIld TRUST

. 33

zero emissionssolar PowEr

100% EnvironmEn-Tally-FriEndly

SIlEncIng clIMATE kIllERSP r o J E c T

id n o T i c E

2011 >

0.72004 >

1.32005 >

2.12006 >

2.32007 >

3.42008 >

5.12009 >

8.22010 >8.9 mILLIOn U.S. TOnS Of

AvOIDED

CO2

Since 2009, calculation based on life cycle analysis.

EcologIcAl FooTPRInT

8.9 million tons of CO2: That’s how much greenhouse gas will be avoided over the next 30 years simply from the products SolarWorld sold in 2011 alone. And that includes any CO2 emissions that might have been produced during the manufacturing process. Solar power is one path anyone can take to significantly reduce their carbon foot-print. It grows every time we are taking a vacation or driving to work. For a person to remain carbon neutral, she would have to maintain a CO2 burden below 3 tons a year. In 2011, the average German contributed 16.6 tons to the carbon footprint; the average American, 31.5 tons. SolarWorld is an industry leader in its transparency in dis-closing its emissions. In 2011, SolarWorld was recognized as a “sector leader” due to its detailed recording of its carbon within the Carbon Disclosure Project Germany. x

34 .

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. 35

m i K E m c K E c H n i E [ 4 8 ]

is the co-owner of mountain view Solar. He lives in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., in a hybrid solar-powered home.

36 .

SolAR PIoNEER INSPIRES coAl MINERS To “go SolAR”

In WEST vIRgInIa , the coal-mining capital of the u.s., one solar installer offers alternatives not just for REnEWablE EnERgy – but for jobs and lifestyles, too.

r E P o r T

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ThE SOLAR wORLDThE SOLAR wORLD

ject since its inception four years ago – in a “hybrid home” with solar electric and hot water panels, and a small windmill. He founded Mountain view Solar with his younger brother Pete, as an offshoot to his former contracting business, Moun-tain view builders.

The company has grown exponentially, and tripled in growth three years in a row, he says, because he offers an energy alternative that people hadn’t thought about trying in West virginia. He is also committed to using everything from the U.S. – from materials to modules – in his business, which his neighbors in the panhandle support. For his solar manufacturer, Mckechnie partners exclusively with SolarWorld, the largest in the U.S. He chose the company primarily because its products are amer-ican made and lead the industry on both power and performance – all three are important aspects to his customers. but an additional factor in his choice was the support SolarWorld provides to Mike’s business and to promoting solar energy in general. “We held a solar training and educational event centered around a high-profile installation in the heart of coal country, Williamson, W.va, Marilee. SolarWorld actively participated in the event by helping us get word out through press releases and media coverage,“ explains Mckechnie. “and they send us people who want to hear more about solar power – over 250 in 2011 alone!“

If you use energy, you should make part of it

ike Mckechnie is standing on the roof of the Morgan county courthouse, the biggest municipal building in berkeley Springs, W.va., pointing at rows of tilted silver panels. It’s raining,

which he acknowledges briefly, but only after he finishes talking about what ignites his business: the strength of the always-renewable sun.

Mckechnie, the 48-year-old solar enthu-siast with a shoulder-length ponytail the color of coal, co-owns Mountain view Solar, a photovoltaic systems installation company in berkeley Springs that special-izes in renewable energy. He swears most days in West virginia are sunnier this time of year, which makes sense, since he spends most of his time promoting solar energy to people here in the coal indus-try’s national hotbed.

a Man WITH a MISSIon

“You’re going to do big things, Mike,” a courthouse employee says to him in the lobby. “big things” began for Mckechnie in 2007, when his mission to bring renew-able energy, as a strategic investment, into american households took off in a small town populated with people who share West virginia’s mining mentality. Using solar energy saves money, he always says, and it can coexist, not compete, with coal’s presence and popularity in the state. Most of the town seems to agree; throughout the afternoon, people call him by name and ask how the business is doing, curi-ous about his latest projects.

Mckechnie lives three miles from the courthouse – the company’s biggest pro-

s o l a r w o r l d i n s T a l l E r s w o r l d w i d E

Designed and installed by a professional. It’s easy to find a specialist in your area. Just go to www.solarworld-usa.com. SolarWorld supports its national network of installers so they can get up to any roof. Find out more about the Installer program by going to www.solarworld-usa.com/installer-program

SolaR EnERgy IS booMIng In WEST vIRgInIa

38 .

miKe mcKecHnie’s tracK record

for sun and

SOLARMORE TURNOVER

in THE lasT THrEE yEars

over

300%300%SOLAR SYSTEMS

insTallEd sincE 2004

over

225225

200 residential installations and over 24 commercial projects – and he’s looking to expand further by educating the pub-lic. “getting the word out is what we’re trying to do,” he says, in between sips of an unsweetened iced tea in a restaurant across from the courthouse. “The gov-ernment isn’t educating about this. I’ve gone into everything from second grade to high school advanced science classes,” he says about spreading solar conscious-ness to young people. He knows kids don’t have the money to purchase and install a solar panel but their opinions can influ-ence future decisions, too – at the din-ner table with their parents, at the voting polls, or when they buy their own homes.

FRoM PIonEER To TREndSETTER

Mckechnie says he started educating people at home during small talks at his hybrid electric house, when he would tell people about “owning their energy,” instead of “renting” it. “Renting is good when you’re just starting out,” he says, “but now people have an opportunity to own it.” and, he adds, “If you use energy, you should make part of it.”

Now, as people in West virginia become more educated about the financial benefits of solar energy, Mckechnie says the con-cept, and his company, will take off even more. “The state is in a bigger spotlight,” he says. “The courthouse was a rite of passage into bigger work; that solidified the understanding that we’re onto some-thing really big.” x

electricians. and now some of them earn up to $45 an hour.”

As new installation projects come up, he looks for more willing converts and more opportunities to bring job prospects to the region. Mckechnie ’s goal at the William-son event was to gauge coal workers’ inter-est in solar panel installation. “We put the word out and we had more interest than we had room for,” he says. “Their mind-set was skeptical at first; they maybe were scared they didn’t have the aptitude, but they left saying ‘It isn’t that hard.’” Back on the courthouse roof, which Mckechnie reaches by a narrow ladder in the courthouses’ back closet, he surveys the panels and admits, “There were a few people in town who I could tell didn’t like it, but the majority of people, including the mayor, loved it.”

He describes a shading analysis – a com-prehensive assessment that engineers conduct in the planning process to deter-mine if physical structures, such as trees or other buildings, will obstruct the sun’s rays. The analysis is one part of a multi-component planning and building pro-cess, which includes writing proposals, hoisting the solar panels onto the roof with cranes, and channeling direct cur-rent electricity (dc), stored in combiner boxes, into inverters to create alternating currents (ac), the electricity the world is powered by.

Since 2004, Mckechnie estimates Moun-tain view Solar has worked on more than

Rusty Pittman, head of marketing at SolarWorld Americas, has worked closely with Mckechnie on many projects. “Every-one within SolarWorld enjoys working with Mike. not only is he a skilled and profes-sional authorized Installer,“ says Pittman, “he’s also truly passionate about educat-ing West virginian families on the benefits of solar, even though he’s respectful of the contribution coal has made to the state’s economy.”

JobS WITH a FUTURE

In Berkeley Springs, Mckechnie employs 20 people, including engineers, electri-cians, plumbers, general contractors and office staff, many of whom are former coal-industry professionals. It isn’t hard to find people who can make the shift from mining finite materials to using renewa-ble resources, mainly because, “contract-ing is contracting,” he says, regardless of the industry. Mike sees to it that they gain solar expertise on top of their contracting experience, and he is happy when their new skills lead to more financial success.

Recently, Mckechnie trained five for-mer and current miners to install solar panels using SolarWorld products in a health clinic, a large development pro-ject that took roughly one year to plan and complete, and led to bigger projects. The learning curve was admittedly steep but fast thanks to the related experience. “all contractors have a common bond,” he says. “a few of the coal miners were elec-tricians, so we put them to work with solar

. 39

b l o g

IT’S acAR!

Visionaries take solar energy to the streets. A team of German students starts out from Australia on a round-the-world trip in their SolaRWoRld gT . Along the way, their WEblog posts are so vivid that one can smell the heat radiating off the asphalt mile after mile!

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w w w . s o l A r w o r l d - g t . c o m

–––> AuSTRALIA‘S RACE TO ThE SuN /

OCTOBER 15,2011

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21,000 MIlES oF dEdIcaTIon…In its searing pursuit of victory, the SolarWorld GT hugs the hairpin curves that greet it right before the finish line. The crowd roars as the elegant racing car passes the grandstand and, as soon as its wheels roll to a stop, it is thronged with cameras and onlookers. A Dutchman is overheard as he exclaims with admiration: It's a car! x

anyone reading the weblogs posted by the students about their battle to win one of the top spots during the race in australia knows how evocative technology can be. Who would ever think of designing a solar-powered car to circumnavigate the world without using one drop of gas? are they mad? Idealists? or pioneers? // //The World Solar challenge is the answer. The toughest solar-car race in the world pushes this vision to the limits. Students from bochum Univer-sity of applied Sciences entered their SolarWorld gran Turismo into this year’s rally. In contrast to the other crazy-looking ping-pong tables, this race car looks like a normal coupé. It’s just as suited to city streets as it is to the racecourse, where it shows just how powerful emission-free cars can be. Since 2001, bochum students have been using their knowledge for devel-oping solar vehicles. In 2007, they rolled out the SolarWorld no. 1; in 2011, the SolarWorld gT. The new race car isn’t a sprinter. It’s a long-distance runner that, in the truest sense of the word, is showing just how far solar mobility has come. x

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w w w . s o l A r w o r l d - g t . c o m

OCTOBER 16, 2011

→ b l o g E N T R Y

––> FROm ADELAIDE TO SIDNEy /

→

caTcHIng SoME RAyS ...It’s just after 4:00 p.m. We took a half-hour break and are back on the road. Evening is falling as we continue our solar-powered trip. We had a bumpy start, but even so, we made almost 250 miles today. Our round-the-world trip has finally begun. x

The race was over for the other 36 contestants when they crossed the finish line in adelaide. For the gT- team, the World Solar challenge may be over, but its own solar challenge is just beginning. From australia to new zealand, the United States, Europe, and asia, the SolarWorld gT team will have driven almost 21,000 miles by the time it returns to australia. Thanks to its improved batteries, the solar car will show that it’s up to the long haul, even when the sun isn’t shining. Tim Skerra, team leader, says “We have broken through another technological barrier to making solar cars mainstream.” // //It’s going to have a profound impact on human locomotion. Today’s combus-tion engines exploit oil reserves and are ruining the atmosphere. and as oil wells dry up, fuel will get more expensive and these co2-polluting vehicles will be more unsustainable than ever – further good reasons for the solar revolution. Independent propulsion systems like the SolarWorld gT and battery-powered cars are leading the way. Filling up an electric automobile is sim-ply a matter of plugging it into an outlet. and, as long as the electricity used is generated by renewable energy from solar panels, for example, it is carbon neutral. Taking it up a notch, the SolarWorld gT and its predecessor, the SolarWorld no. 1 racer, almost never have to be plugged in – they charge themselves while driving. x

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30 MPh ...Our solar-power goal today is to drive all day long. Cruise control helps us maintain an average speed of 30 mph. The SolarWorld GT uses 500 watts at this speed. x

Solar mobility still requires a lot of planning to make sure solar-charged batteries don’t run out too soon. and not just during the World Solar challenge. Technology, however, has made gigantic leaps since 1960, when the ameri-can dr. charles alexander Escoffery mounted a solar panel onto the roof of his car and hit the roads for 1 hour. “It captured the world’s attention,” he recalls. “People are finally starting to realize that driving a car without gasoline is possible.“ // //In 1983, the “quiet achiever,” a compact car with eight square meters of solar cells, drove a distance of 2,500 miles in 20 days. Just four years late, the gifted engineer’s achievement gave birth to the World Solar challenge, which took such visionary tinkering and transformed it into a platform for pioneering technology. // //

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w w w . s o l A r w o r l d - g t . c o m

OCTOBER 23,2011

→ b l o g E N T R Y

––> uSA/NORTh AmERICA /

The students have put their heart and soul into the SolarWorld gT project, travelling around the world in 365 days to showcase the technology. as they report. x

MoBIlITy oF THE FUTUREThe SolarWorld GT is an ambassador for sustainable mobility of the future. x

People who think like this are not crazy. They are idealists and visionaries. It takes this kind of conviction to advance ideas that go against the grain of normal conventions and turn conventional wisdom upside down. The engi-neers, pilots and drivers advancing solar mobility all seem to tick that way. but, if you delve deeper, you realize they are pragmatic realists who, as true pioneers, realize the potential of new technologies. To see pictures and read the weblog, go to www.solarworld-gt.com. x

→

44 .

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→ T E C H N O L O G Y SOLARWORLD GT

–––> AS vIEWED FROm ThE SIDE /

–––> ThE TEChNOLOGy /

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A –––> 935 solar cells span the roof to harness electricity from the sun.B –––> Eight maximum power point trackers (MPPT) optimize the voltage generated by

the solar cells.C –––> Two wheel-hub motors drive the front wheels. Electricity is generated

while braking.D –––> Two motor controllers monitor and regulate the two engines.E –––> A 437-single-cell battery pack stores the electricity generated.

(Picture: Below the rear solar panel)F –––> A battery management system (BMS) monitors power consumption, output

and battery temperature.

gETTINg cloSER EvERy dayTwo doors, two seats, and once around the world – these are the technical specifications for the SolarWorld GT (SolarWorld Gran Turismo), the latest development from the German solar racer manufactory. x

bochum University of applied Sciences is continuing its efforts to make solar electric cars mainstream. Using concepts they developed for the Mad dog III, the students have turned their “ping-pong table on wheels” into a conventional-looking vehicle. Instead of having to lift the upper shell to get in, the car now has doors; the two-shell design has been replaced by a self-supporting structure. // //The two-seater SolarWorld gT is roomy enough to run through data in the car. other selling points are the solar racer’s enhanced energy efficiency and attractive design. x

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ne morning, not long after the radiolog-ical disaster in Fukushima, I was sitting at the breakfast table, reading the news-paper. almost overnight, utility compa-nies had taken up the green mantra in their ads. but, like many others, I knew the utilities would be more than happy

to carry on with nuclear, coal and other questiona-ble energy sources. Fortunately, consumers are not so easily ‘greenwashed.’

Our decisions can have a huge impact. More and more, people are shopping their conscience, always on the look-out for environmentally-friendly manufac-turing and fair trade products. customers are keep-

ing informed and taking sustainability into their own hands.

This phenomenon is called ethical consumption. To be honest, I worry that the trend may be taken to the extreme. anyone who knows me knows that I like to enjoy life. That means that I use fossil fuels, too, because in some circumstances, it’s just more convenient. but I balance my choices with greener alternatives in other areas of my life to help reduce my carbon foot-print. and I am convinced that, one day soon, there will be clean alterna-tives to address almost all our needs.

Solar system owners are environmentally conscious and so they should also be concerned about the way a solar system is manufactured. buying a solar system is a 30- to 40-year decision so, if I were the customer, I would look for a manufacturer I could trust and a company with a reputation for quality, continuity and durability. as the head of a company that sells solar power systems around the whole world, I’m uncompromising when it comes to quality. The 3,000 employees at SolarWorld and I aren’t green imperson-ators. our award-winning objective is to achieve genuine sustainability.

and should we ever fall short of that goal, we can count on our customers to call us on it! our customers have taken over the solar charge. x

kind regards,

d r . - i n g . E . H . F r a n K a s b E c K [ 5 2 ]

is founder and CEO of SolarWorld AG. He is one of the most prominent people in the solar industry and is recognized around the world as a pioneer. The agricultural engineer is a solar activist, committed to this and many other causes far beyond the obligations of his com-pany. Asbeck lives with his family in Bonn, Germany.

fRANk ASBEck

a s b E c K u P c l o s E a n d P E r s o n a l

46 .

SolarWorld AG is a leading global provider of crystalline solar power technology. With sites in eight countries, the group employs more than 3,000 people. Production facilities in Freiberg/germany and Hillsboro/USa cover the full solar value chain. Its core business is the production and international distribution of high-quality, solar power plants – from rooftop systems to turnkey solar farms. / www.solarworld.com

please address any questions for tHe editor or editorial team to magazine@solarworld.de

masTHEad

PublisHEd bySolarWorld agMartin-luther-king-Str. 2453175 bonn, germanyTel.: +49 228 559 20 – 0

EdiTor-in-cHiEFgroup communication SolarWorld ag

dEsign & layouT Strichpunkt gmbHwww.strichpunkt-design.de

concEPT & EdiTorialSolarWorld agburda creative group gmbHburdayukom Publishing www.burdayukom.de

EnglisH EdiTion: Marilee Williams

PHoTo crEdiTsSandra Schuck (cover, p. 2, p. 4, p. 10, p. 12–15, p. 18, p. 30–31), Fred Merz (p. 5), Lars Wehrmann (p. 6–7), Matthias

Ziegler (p. 8), Nadja Todres (p. 10), Tobias Freytag, FAD Photography (p. 11), Corbis: Martin Sundberg (p. 11 upper left), owaki/kulla (p. 11 bottom), ocean (p. 25 upper right), Philip Hahn (p. 20–21), Thomas Struth (p. 26, p. 28–29), Fred Joe Photo (p. 36–38), Peter Keil (p. 41–45), Hochschule Bochum (p. 45), Mart Klein (p. 46)

tHE INfORMAtION CONtAINEd IN tHIs MAGA zINE Is PROtECtEd by COPyRIGHt L Aw. ALL RIGHts REsERVEd.

PrinTEd byköllen druck + verlag gmbHwww.koellen.de

ThE ANSwERS To ThE BIggEST quESTIoNS oF THE FUTURE alREady ExIST Today.

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Showing kids the future–––> SOLAR SChOOL PROJECTS

Solar in your pocket–––> SuNChARGER FOR yOuR SmARTPhONE

Networking–––> SAvE my NATuRE

Leaving a green footprint–––> ENvIRONmENTAL PROTECTION By SOLAR POWER

Produce your own, clean power–––> SmART SOLAR PRODuCTS

Commitment throughout the world–––> SOLAR2WORLD

Research and convince others–––> EINSTEIN AWARD

Be mobile with solar power–––> SOLARWORLD GT

Coupling the Prius Plug-in with the Solar Carport is like having a free filling station right at your doorstep.

Welcome to the sunny side of mobility: Combining the Prius Plug-in with SolarWorld’s SunCarport enables CO2-neutral driving – with no need for fossil fuels*. Moreover, as opposed to vehicles that are powered purely by electricity, you benefit from the full range of Prius advantages, including automatic activation of the vehicle’s internal combustion engine. This means that you are free to drive longer distances with no need to worry, even if you exceed the range of the vehicle’s lithium-ion battery. Available from Toyota dealers starting this autumn.

toyota.de/Prius-Plug-in

*In EV mode, it is possible to drive approximately 20 km at speeds of up to 100 km/h, powered solely by electricity. The results for official fuel consumption and official CO2 emissions and the CO2 efficiency class were unavailable at the time of publication.

1203011_Solar_World_210x260_engl_V2.indd 1 06.03.12 18:11