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Qcells gives companies access to low-cost solar power without the need to invest their own capital

Qcells is expanding its portfolio of clean energy solutions for companies with two new offerings: power contracting and leasing of solar energy systems.

[Berlin, Germany, May 18, 2020] For companies in Germany, solar power from their own rooftops is the most cost-effective way of generating electricity at the direct site of consumption. However, many medium-sized companies shy away from the planning and capital-intensive investment often required for their own solar system. With its new service offerings of power contracting and solar plant leasing, Qcells – Germany’s most popular brand for solar technology* – offers two innovative ways for companies without their own investment costs to benefit from low-cost and clean solar power. In both models, Qcells installs, at its own expense, a solar system on the roof of the owner or tenant of a building. Qcells also covers the company's remaining electricity needs with environmentally friendly electricity drawn from 100% renewable sources from Germany and Austria. Qcells thus offers companies a cost-effective and sustainable complete solution from a single source.

Power contracting as an all-round carefree package

With regards to power contracting, Qcells assumes the role of investor, owner and operator of the solar plant, and supplies the company with the majority of the electricity from the solar plant that is installed at its premises, all within the framework of an electricity supply contract. Qcells then directly markets the excess electricity that is not self-consumed by the company. The residual electricity that cannot be covered by solar power also comes from Qcells. It goes without saying that this is also 100% ecologically generated electricity.

"With Power Contracting, we offer companies a complete solution for the clean and cost-effective procurement of electricity with solar energy as the central power source", says Madlen Apel, Team Leader Energy Solutions Qcells. "Qcells takes over the planning, financing, construction and operation of the solar plant as well as the supply of the residual electricity completely from one source."

Plant lease for maximum cost savings

With the second new business model, the plant lease, Qcells remains the owner of the solar plant, although in this case it is leased by the respective company. This way, the electricity consumer becomes the operator of the system. The electricity consumed is thus regarded as own consumption, for which only a pro rata EEG levy of currently 2.7 euro cents instead of 6.8 euro cents per kilowatt hour is due. Qcells will be in charge of handling the direct marketing of excess electricity that cannot be consumed by the company itself and the supply of additional green electricity to cover the company's entire requirements.

Maengyoon Kim, Head of EU Sales at Qcells, says: "Power contracting and leasing of solar plants can save considerable amounts of grid fees and levies. Companies that feed their electricity requirements from locally generated solar power can thus significantly reduce their electricity costs. At the same time they increase their own planning security because they are less affected by rising electricity procurement costs from the grid. Together with Qcells, companies can actively assume responsibility for the CO2 balance of their electricity generation and thus make an effective contribution to climate protection."

To discover more about Qcells’ power contracting and leasing of solar power offerings and to learn how you can get involved, visit the dedicated webpage: www.q-cells.de/anwender/solaranlagen-gewerbegebaeude/power-contracting-und-anlagenpacht.html

*Qcells is a solar pioneer that has been developing its high quality solar solutions in Germany from day one. In 2020, Qcells received the Life & Living Award for consumer quality, which is presented by the television channel n-tv and the German Institute for Service Quality. In the evaluation of over 40,000 consumers surveyed, Qcells took first place in the solar technology category. Qcells is the only company in the energy sector that combines the complete portfolio of a renowned global solar manufacturer with new and innovative green electricity products. The company thus offers its private and commercial customers complete solutions from a single source to cover their electricity needs from 100% renewable energies with solar DNA.

About Qcells

Qcells is a renowned total energy solutions provider in solar cell and module, energy storage, downstream project business and energy retail. It is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim, Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ) with its diverse international manufacturing facilities in the U.S., Malaysia, China, and South Korea. Through its growing global business network spanning Europe, North America, Asia, South America, Africa and the Middle East, Qcells provides excellent services and long-term partnerships to its customers in the utility, commercial, governmental and residential markets. For more information, visit: www.q-cells.com.

Safe-Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar statements. Among other things, the quotations from management in this press release and Qcells’ operations and business outlook, contain forward-looking statements. Such statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Qcells does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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Hanwha Q CELLS GmbH Corporate Communications

Jochen Endle, Ian Clover

Tel: +49 (0)3494 6699 10121

E-mail: presse@q-cells.com