Press Release for Immediate Distribution: SEMI India Launches Solar PV Technical Training Programmes in Jaipur In technical collaboration

with the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE) at IIT Bombay, the programme aims to address the needs of the countrys rapidly developing PV industry

Jaipur India August 24, 2011: SEMI India, the Indian arm of the global industry organization, SEMI, today launched a solar PV work force development initiative, with a three day short course on Solar PV Power Systems: Concepts, Operation and Applications in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Workforce development was identified as a priority action area for 2011 by SEMI Indias PV Advisory Committee, comprising key executives from Indias solar PV industry. The short course in Jaipur will be the first in a series of courses that SEMI will organize, in technical collaboration with NCPRE (the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education, IIT Bombay) and offer in different centres across the country. Need for solar skill/workforce development programs: SEMI Indias workforce development initiative aims to address the needs of SEMI member companies and of the wider solar PV industry in India by offering high quality training programmes delivered by leading academic and industry experts and expanding awareness about state of the art solar/PV technologies, applications and practices among engineers and technical personnel.

The rapidly developing solar/PV industry in India, motivated by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM) as well as State government policies, is already experiencing a severe shortage of adequately trained and skilled technical manpower in achieving its early goals. Further phases of the JNNSM and the roll out of State government solar policies across the country will accentuate the need for

trained technical personnel across all expertise segments from design, engineering and manufacturing to installation, operation and maintenance of solar PV systems. Globally, the solar and renewable energy industries are seen as major engines of job growth. Renewable energy technologies generate more jobs per megawatt of installed capacity, per unit of energy produced, and per dollar of investment, than the fossil fuel based energy sector according to University of California studies. Various European and US studies suggest that in the range of 25 to 30 direct jobs are created for every MWp of PV installed. The EPIA & Greepeace Solar Generation 6 Report, 2011, estimates that more than 228,000 people were employed in the solar energy sector in 2009 and projects that the solar electricity sector will become a powerful jobs motor, providing green-collar employment to almost 1.7 million people by 2020 and 2.63 million by 2030. In India, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has estimated that there will be close to 100,000 jobs in PV by 2020. Industry sources suggest that if all job linkages are considered, PV jobs in India could far exceed this figure. Speaking to the media after the inaugural event, Shri M.M. Vijayvargiya, Director (Technical), Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited (RRECL) said, With the ambitious Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission being operationalized, India is poised to take a huge leap in the solar/PV space. The inauguration of this training initiative today in Jaipur is an important step in addressing the needs of this key energy sector in India. We are pleased that this programme has been launched in Jaipur as Rajasthan is emerging as a leading destination for solar power generation and manufacturing in the country Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki, IIT Bombay, said, We are pleased to join hands with SEMI in addressing the work force requirements of the Solar/PV industry. Solar as an energy source presents great opportunities for innovation as well as job growth across all segments. At NCPRE, we are focusing on manpower training for Solar/PV at all levels: from the level of research programmes to technician training. Efforts are being made to conduct training programs and create PV course content in the form of both text and video. This training material will be available through the NCPRE web page and the distance education program (CDEEP) of IIT Bombay.

Added, Debasish Paul Choudhury, President, SEMI India, It is an honor for us to collaborate with the prestigious National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education established at IIT Bombay under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission of the Government of India in rolling out this key initiative. India is emerging as a top market and destination for solar technology and manufacturing because of global demand and Central & State government incentives for the promotion of the industry. Our estimates suggest that this industry will need 10,000+ technicians in the next 5 years as well as skilled engineers in various aspects of solar/PV technology & manufacturing. Some of the worlds top thin film and crystalline technology companies are emphasizing their activities in India and leading Indian and global manufacturers have unveiled aggressive expansion plans for the Indian market. We are also most happy to announce that we will be offering a second short course on Grid Connected Solar PV Systems, in technical collaboration with the NCPRE, during SOLARCON India 2011 - the premier solar focused technology & business event to be held from November 9 to 11 at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre in Hyderabad.

About SEMI and PV Group SEMI (www.semi.org) is the global industry association serving the manufacturing supply chains for the microelectronic, display and photovoltaic industries. PV Group (www.pvgroup.org) represents SEMI member companies involved in the solar energy manufacturing supply chain. The PV Group mission is to advance industry growth, support continuous efficiency improvements and promote sustainable business practices through international standards development, events, public policy advocacy, EHS support, market intelligence, and other services. SEMI India is the Indian arm of SEMI and PV Group. About NCPRE The National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE) at IIT Bombay was launched in 2010 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of the Government of India. The objective of the centre is to be the one of the leading

PhotoVoltaic (PV) research and education centres in the world within the next decade. The centre is located at IIT Bombay which has a strong tradition of interdisciplinary activity and is thereby uniquely suited to take up this challenge. About SOLARCON India 2011: SOLARCON India 2011, November 9 to 11, HICC, Hyderabad is the premier technology & business event in the region. It combines a three-day industry exhibition with an international conference and will attract high profile participation by renowned solar energy experts from all segments of the industry supply chain, academia and the government, from India and around the world. The event will also bring in highly focused business visitors including industry executives & decision makers, researchers, entrepreneurs, financiers, academics, system integrators and other solar end-users. The 2011 event is expected to draw expanded participation, will feature an exclusive US pavilion (it is a US Department of Commerce certified trade show), a dedicated LED area and a large number of exhibitors representing the entire solar eco-system (Cell, Module, Material, Equipment, EPC, BoS and more). For more information, please visit, www.solarconindia.org. For editorial queries, contact Swati Sharma of PRHUB @ 09999160371/ 08022483007/8swati@prhub.com