AVANCIS Gets Clearance to Build New CIS Module Facility

BERLIN, June 29 /PRNewswire/ --     The European Commission Directorate General (DG) for Competition recently
announced that AVANCIS, a joint venture between Shell and Saint-Gobain, can
receive a tax allowance and a direct grant from the Federal State of Saxony.

AVANCIS will erect a new facility for the production of photovoltaic
modules in the town of Torgau in Saxony. The production process is based on
advanced CIS technology as developed at the AVANCIS R&D centre in Munich. CIS
modules contain very thin layers of copper, indium and selenium to convert
sunlight directly into electricity. The annual capacity of the plant will
initially be 20 megawatts peak (MWp), with a scope for rapid expansion.

AVANCIS combines Shell CIS technology expertise, aided by eight years of
commercial manufacturing at the Camarillo plant in California, with
Saint-Gobain's knowledge in glass processing and production of building
materials. AVANCIS CIS modules will be available from 2008 onwards.

Invest in Germany advised the project partners from the early stage of
the process. Germany's federal investment promotion agency provided
assistance not only in navigating the possibilities for investment incentives
at different governmental levels, but also in finding potential partners such
as consultancy firms.

Ulrike Handtke, Head of the Department Project Services at Invest in
Germany, whose team handles questions pertaining to financing, noted that the
decision of AVANCIS to build in eastern Germany shows that incentives are one
of many significant factors that work in the investor's favor in eastern
Germany:

"Getting this financing was one of the key elements in the investment
decision of AVANCIS. With the current decision of DG Competition, AVANCIS can
take advantage of the moderate wage costs, stellar infrastructure, and highly
qualified workers that make Germany an outstanding investment location."

Invest in Germany is the official investment promotion agency of Germany.
Its mandate is to assist and advise international companies about investment
opportunities in Germany. Invest in Germany provides comprehensive support
from site selection to the implementation of investment decisions.

Media Contact:
    
    Eva Henkel
    Invest in Germany
    T: +49-30-200099-173
    F: +49-30-200099-111
    Email: henkel@invest-in-germany.com
    www.invest-in-germany.com