New automated photovoltaic assembly line from KUKA Systems

Augsburg & Saginaw (Michigan) – GlobalWatt, Inc. of San Jose, California has selected KUKA Systems to be its supplier/equipment partner for the world’s first greenfield liquid encapsulant solar panel module line to be installed in Saginaw, Michigan. This advanced manufacturing line will be scaled up progressively to 250 megawatts of annual production capacity. The initial semi-automated line is expected to cost under $10M and be operational by November 2010 with production to begin in the first quarter of 2011.

“GlobalWatt is fortunate to have a quality and experienced supplier like KUKA Systems in Michigan. Both companies working together can meet the growing energy demands for high end solar modules to build a mutually beneficial relationship. Our business is to integrate high performance photovoltaic modules for applications in defense, emergency power, distributed utility, telecommunications and other markets,” said Sanjeev Chitre, CEO of GlobalWatt, Inc.

Larry Drake, CEO of KUKA Systems states: “We welcome GlobalWatt to Michigan, joining us in forming part of the state’s emerging Solar Valley. We look forward to our partnership with them in developing the world’s first greenfield liquid silicone encapsulation module line and creating employment in their Saginaw facility. We have the resources to meet the current and future solar manufacturing needs of GlobalWatt.”

About Globalwatt

GlobalWatt, Inc. is a Silicon Valley solar technology firm building a manufacturing facility in Saginaw, Michigan. GlobalWatt’s business is to manufacture the most advanced solar modules and integrate them into photovoltaic power systems to meet the rapidly growing renewable energy requirements for defense, emergency power, rural electrification and other specialty applications. GlobalWatt’s solar modules will contain in excess of ninety percent U.S. content.

About KUKA Systems

KUKA Systems Corp North America, a Michigan-based company, is part of the KUKA Systems Group, a leading global supplier of flexible automation systems for the Automotive, Aerospace, Energy and Industrial Solutions sectors. Some 3,500 employees worldwide work on ideas, concepts and solutions for automated production and the provision of products and services for virtually all tasks in the industrial processing of metallic and non-metallic materials. The Energy Division offers engineering services, automated production modules and complete turnkey production lines for the photovoltaic, solar thermal and wind energy sectors. Key technologies from KUKA Systems also have applications in buiding power stations and other energy systems. KUKA Systems specializes in applying expertise to industrialized processes with demanding requirements quality, quality monitoring and availability – issues of paramount importance in solar module production. KUKA Systems is able to implement plants with an annual production capacity of 500 MWp. The complete KUKA Systems product range is marketed internationally via subsidiaries and sales offices in Europe, the Americas and Asia.