(openPR) - Kirchner Solar Hellas founded in Athens

Alheim-Heinebach, Germany, January 31, 2012 – Kirchner Solar Group keeps expanding internationally. In Athens, Greece, the company founded its subsidiary Kirchner Solar Hellas. The new company will contribute to developing and establishing specific regional solutions for the Greek solar market. Operations start with four Greek employees and the location will be opened on February 1. With 300 days of sunshine per year, Greece is one of Europe’s most appealing markets for solar companies.

With opening their subsidiary in Greece, the Kirchner Solar Group expands its international business. The company benefits from the fact that the Greek solar market is not exploited yet. By the end of 2010, only 200 Megawatts Peak of PV power were installed. One year later, this number had already grown to 600 Megawatts Peak. “With our subsidiary in Athens we want to be an active player in this attractive solar market. Plus, we also want to add local economic value”, says Lars Kirchner, founder and CEO of Kirchner Solar Group. “By now, we already generate more than 50 percent of our turnovers abroad. We will keep expanding this share, although we are also very successful in our home market.” So far, the company runs international operations in Germany, Italy, USA, Canada, Uganda and the Ivory Coast.

Currently, the German solar industry is pushing its activities in Greece. The main reason for this is the large number of sunny days. By 2020, approximately 10,000 Megawatt photovoltaic capacities could be installed. Kirchner Solar Hellas will contribute to Kirchner Solar Group benefitting from this growth. The Greek subsidiary will closely cooperate in this process with its German headquarters in Hesse. With its two managing directors, Volkmar Schönenberg, who will also remain International Sales Director, based at Kirchner Solar Group in Heinebach, Germany, and Stylianos Petrantonakis, who will oversee operations from Athens, the company will enter into the difficult market with the solar industry’s concentrated know-how. Schönenberg says about his extended job profile: “I am particularly looking forward to the cooperation with the new Greek team and solar expert Stylianos Petrantonakis, who has joined us as CEO of Kirchner Solar Hellas from the PV project company Pairan. In addition, our strength will particularly show in a difficult market environment like this, because our years of experience enable us to offer a diversified portfolio. Together, we want to make our contribution to develop tailored solutions for the Greek market.“ The goal is to achieve a similar degree of maturity as in Germany.
 
Headquarters of the new Kirchner Solar Group subsidiary
Kirchner Solar Hellas MEPE
Kleisthenous 237 & Kerasias
GR-15344 Gerakas/Attiki
T: +30 210 6009691 F: +30 2106009672

About Kirchner Solar Group
Kirchner Solar Group is a pioneer in the solar industry. The company was founded in 1991 and offers complete solutions for any type of roof. It has so far implemented more than 6,500 solar parks and PV rooftop systems, which makes it one of the leading vendors for renewable energies. The company’s products and services include the design and the installation of PV systems, the production of its own solar tracker systems, the production of independent off-grid systems, trade of high-quality PV components and public fund concepts as well as customized solar systems. The group employs more than 220 people at 13 locations in Germany, Africa, Italy, Canada, USA and Greece. They achieved a turnover of approx. 190 million Euros in fiscal year 2010 with approx. 112 Megawatt Peak PV power installed. Besides their PV systems project and implementation activities, the company has engaged in years of commitment in the field of sustainable and environmental education. Kirchner Solar Group GmbH was awarded the German Solar Award 2010 for their work and commitment in the PV sector – The two managing directors are Lars Kirchner and Christian Wahl - www.kirchner-solar-group.de

About PV tracker systems
The „sonnen_system“ PV tracker systems, a product by Kirchner Group, are astronomically controlled biaxial systems. Using a rotatable mount, the solar modules are continuously positioned at a 90 degree angle against the sun. This innovative technology makes sure that the radiation angle against the module is optimal at all times. This way, these solar systems will deliver up to 45% more yield than systems sitting on a fixed structure. So far Kirchner Solar Group produced and installed 11.000 tracking systems worldwide.

Kirchner Solar Group GmbH
Ms. Sabine Wimhöfer-Menjé
Head of Marketing
E-mail: sabine.wimhoefer@kirchner-solar-group.de
Phone: +49 5664 93911-913
Fax: +49 5664 93911-39
Auf der Welle 8
36211 Alheim-Heinebach, Germany

Media contact:
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide
Ms. Mareike Lenzen / Ms. Annette Müller
E-Mail: ksg@waggeneredstrom.com
Phone: +49 89 628175-28/ -23
Fax: +49 89 628175-11
Haimhauserstrasse 1
80802 Munich, Germany