Air Products "Flips the Switch" on its Headquarters Solar Farm

2MW Solar Farm Online and Delivering Renewable Energy to Corporate Campus

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Jul 12, 2011, 01:00 ET

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., July 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at a ceremony at its corporate headquarters, John McGlade, Air Products' (NYSE: APD) chairman, president and chief executive officer, flipped the switch on the company's new 2MW solar farm that is capable of supplying enough energy to power more than half of Air Products' administration buildings.

"It is really special to be able to demonstrate our customers' products and begin generating clean, renewable energy for our campus. It is a great opportunity for employees, our community and our customers to witness first-hand how our innovative products deliver sustainable solutions for photovoltaics customers," said McGlade.

The installation, built with panels supplied by Air Products' customers, Astronergy and ENN Solar, is the largest silicon thin-film project in the United States. Both Astronergy and ENN Solar use Air Products' SunSource™ Solutions — a complete portfolio of gases and materials, equipment and services — to manufacture their silicon thin-film panels.

The 15-acre installation is capable of generating 2MW of renewable power, which will help Air Products reduce its dependence on purchased electricity and lower its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions footprint by approximately 2,000 tons per year.

Silicon thin-film photovoltaic (PV) panels, which convert sunlight directly into electricity, are manufactured in much the same way as thin-film transistor-liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD). As one of the leading suppliers to the TFT-LCD industry, Air Products is ideally suited to supply silicon thin-film manufacturers. The company's expertise in supporting the broader Electronics industry makes it an excellent choice in supplying materials to other major PV technologies such as crystalline silicon, CdTe (Cadmium Teluride), CIGS (Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide) and III-V compound cells as well.

The solar farm was made possible through investment by Air Products and a $1 million grant from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as part of its 2008 Alternative Energy Funding Bill. Funding is administered by Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Financing Authority.

Air Products (NYSE: APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment. In fiscal 2010, Air Products had revenues of $9 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 18,300 employees around the globe. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2010.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

Photos of Air Products' solar farm are available online at www.airproducts.com/company/news-center/2011/0712-air-products-flips-the-switch-on-its-headquarters-solar-farm.aspx. Video will be posted following the event.

SOURCE Air Products