Soitec (Euronext), leader in generating and manufacturing revolutionary semiconductor materials at the frontier of the most exciting energy and electronic challenges, intends to provide remote locations in very sunny regions with a solution facilitating access to clean and reliable electricity thanks to its concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) technology. Today, Soitec is launching the first edition of its Sunidarity program for development aid organizations in order to support their efforts to promote economic and human development in these remote regions. Soitec will donate its innovative Plug&Sun™ product, which can be used to generate electricity completely autonomously where it is needed most, to the selected projects.

At present, 20 percent of the world’s population does not have access to electricity, but the vast majority of the affected regions boast tremendous potential for solar energy. According to Soitec, greater use of solar energy can help to combat both climate change over the long term and energy poverty. This drive is reliant on technological innovation and on collective development aid initiatives.

Soitec will choose the three projects that stand out in terms of their innovation (achieving a genuine advance in local development), the difficulty of the challenge they overcome and their degree of integration within a global development project. All applications will be considered (education, information, communication, health, agriculture, etc.).

Soitec’s mini-tracker is of special interest to all organizations looking for installations that can be transported and set up easily. Organizations can submit their applications by April 15, 2012 directly on Soitec’s web site.

As part of the Sunidarity initiative, Soitec is also setting up a partnership with Schneider Electric to contribute to its energy and electrification of isolated areas access program. www.soitec.com