BenQ Solar with its New Brand Name Advances in Global Solar Market

HSINCHU, Taiwan, Feb. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia-FirstCall/ -- AU Optronics Corp ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a leading global display and solar solutions provider, announced today that its solar business will use "BenQ Solar" as its new brand name from now on, as authorized by BenQ Corporation. AU Optronics will market its high efficiency solar solutions to actively enhance its presence in the global solar market. By adopting the "Global Operation, Local Delivery" business strategy, customers will be offered prompt, economic and high-efficiency total solutions.

"The focus of PV market has gradually shifted from developing large utility projects towards commercial and residential markets. In Europe, the US, and Japan, solar products have become consumer products," said K.Y. Lee, Chairman of BenQ Group. "With the support of BenQ's well-established brand equity and global sales and service platform, BenQ Solar will rapidly expand its business and earn customer trust. BenQ Solar's world-class high-efficiency solar products and global operation will provide customers with local-made products and in-time services, making it the most trust-worthy solar brand."  

BenQ Solar is devoted to providing high-efficiency solar solutions and seeks to generate maximized total power output in the smallest area possible on solar modules. To reach the goal, BenQ Solar has established a high-efficiency solar value chain for high-efficiency solar modules, including high-efficiency polysilicon, ingot and wafer by M.Setek in Japan, and the world's highest efficiency cell with more than 22.5% efficiency rate by AUO SunPower, making BenQ Solar's module the world's top-notch solar product with higher than 20% efficiency to meet residential, commercial, and utility customers' demands for high-efficiency solar modules.

To fulfill residential customer needs in functionality and convenience, BenQ Solar has launched the world's first alternating current generating AC Unison™ solar solution, which includes a micro-inverter integrated with the solar module, and equipped with a monitoring system. AC Unison™ solar solution is easy to install, maintain and monitor. Its low-voltage design is highly safe for residential customers' daily use.

BenQ Solar adopts "Global Operation, Local Delivery" business strategy and is capable of providing customers worldwide with solar modules from Taiwan, China, Europe and the US. BenQ Solar has established its distribution channels in North America, Europe, and Asia and will continue to expand its global channel network to offer customers local services and support.

BenQ Solar's high-efficiency and high quality solar products are well trusted by its customers. By collaborating with its partners, BenQ Solar has successfully completed various large solar power plants in places across Taiwan, Germany, the UK, Italy, the US, and South Africa. BenQ Solar will continue to leverage BenQ's established brand image and publicity to offer high-efficiency and reliable solar products that are easy to install, as well as strengthen its market presence in the global solar market to generate more green energy for the Earth.