Q-Cells and ATS to accelerate solar growth in Ontario

BITTERFELD-WOLFEN, GERMANY, SAN FRANCISCO, USA & CAMBRIDGE, CANADA: Q-Cells SE, one of the largest photovoltaic (PV) companies in the world providing solar power plants, modules and cells, and ATS Automation Tooling Systems Inc., a leading global provider of innovative, custom designed, turnkey manufacturing solutions, and through Photowatt, an integrated manufacturer and developer of solar systems, have established a joint venture for the development of large scale renewable energy projects in Ontario.

ATS and Q-Cells each hold a 50 percent interest in the project development company Ontario Solar PV Fields Inc., which received conditional Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) contracts from the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) in April for seven Ontario ground mounted projects totaling 64 megawatts (MW). The projects represent approximately 10 percent of the 650 MW of ground mounted solar projects awarded throughout the province and are expected to begin construction in 2011 and beyond.

ATS and Q-Cells will both contribute project development, engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) and related services to the venture. The partnership will utilize domestic content modules supplied by Photowatt Ontario with Q-Cells solar cells.

“We are very pleased to have combined the capabilities of two proven global solar companies to quickly serve the rapidly developing solar opportunities in the Ontario market,” said Martin Cecchetto, ATS vice president, Corporate Development.

“Together, we offer a compelling, fully integrated solution and track record to potential developers and financial partners that will make widespread solar adoption in Ontario a reality and significantly expand the solar expertise and presence in the Province.”

The partnership will draw on ATS’s significant local solar expertise as an Ontario headquartered company that provides automation services globally to many top-tier solar companies and parent of Photowatt, a fully integrated solar supplier with a 30 year track record. The Q-Cells Group is one of the world’s leading photovoltaic companies and global solar integrator with project experience in Ontario.

“The Ontario market is projected to be one of the dominant solar markets in North America in 2011,” said Marc van Gerven, Q-Cells North American CEO. “This partnership is an excellent fit with our internationalization strategy by bringing together the global solar expertise of Q-Cells with leading local partners in the industry such as ATS”.