November 18, 2008

San Francisco, CA, USA: The North Face Completes 1MW Solar Energy System

The North Face®, a supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, has completed construction of a 1MW solar electricity system at its West Coast distribution center located in Visalia, California. The system, which will power 25-30 percent of the energy needs of the facility, was designed, engineered and installed by Suntech Energy Solutions (formerly EI Solutions), and is financed, owned and operated by Recurrent Energy, a distributed power company and the pioneer in Solar as a ServiceSM. One hundred percent of the electricity will be sold to The North Face under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) from Recurrent Energy.

The solar energy system is part of The North Face's broader climate change strategy complementing its membership with the US Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leaders program and a separate agreement with Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF). The agreement, to offset 100 percent of the CO2 emissions associated with energy use for The North Face's North American operations, is through purchase of Green-e® Climate-certified carbon offsets from wind energy projects.

"We are deeply committed to exploring new and creative solutions for energy reduction and utilizing this implementation to foster energy education throughout the local community," said Steve Rendle, president of The North Face. ”Through our partnership with Recurrent Energy and Suntech Energy Solutions, we are proud to be hosting a tremendously innovative system that will yield above-average energy production and financial savings."

”We're extremely pleased to be announcing the completion of our project today - it's a perfect example of the emerging opportunity we see in distributed power," said Arno Harris, CEO of Recurrent Energy. ”There is a massive need for clean generation located close to where power is actually used, and customers like The North Face are playing a key role in making that vision a reality."

”This project is a great accomplishment for us and for The North Face, a company highly regarded for its commitment to social responsibility and the environment, as well as for its innovative use of technology in its products," said Andrew Beebe, managing director for Suntech Energy Solutions. ”Along with Recurrent Energy, we look forward to expanding the potential of solar power adoption."

In an effort to promote alternative energy and to educate the community on the solar energy system, The North Face is working with BEF to donate to its innovative educational outreach program, Solar 4R Schools, to regional schools. Solar 4R Schools focuses primarily on solar and wind energy, and provides tool kits, teacher training, and classroom education programs.

Further details about: Suntech Power and Recurrent Energy