SOLAR RACE BEGINS SHELL THROW DOWN SOLAR GAUNTLET TO BP

A race to commercialise solar energy has begun between BP and Shell.

October 16 1997

Today's announcement by Shell that it wants to capture 10% of the global solar market matches BP's current solar expansion plans. BP announced this summer that they intend to obtain a $1 billion turnover for their solar business by 2010. BP currently have 10% of the $1 billion annual solar market. The Shell announcement today shows Shell will match BP's plans.

Chris Rose from Greenpeace stated:

'Shell have thrown down the gauntlet to BP. If BP are serious about their solar business they should dramatically increase their planned solar investments and develop the large-scale solar factories they know would make solar economic overnight .'

The result of this solar race will be new solar factories and thousands of new jobs but not in Britain. Investment is going to Japan and America and now the Netherlands where strong national solar programmes are in place.

'Unless the British Government acts now and introduces a national solar programme Britain will lose out yet again.'

He added:

'The key environmental test for Shell is whether they now switch their position on climate change. Shell should now pull out of the Global Climate Coalition (GCC), the fossil fuel lobby group trying to wreck the Kyoto climate negotiations. The GCC's opposition to an international climate treaty is incompatible with Shell's business decision to expand the solar industry.'

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Greenpeace Press Office on 0171 865 8255/6/7/8

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Notes to Correspondents:

1)

The UK Government is currently reviewing the future of solar in Britain. Greenpeace is calling for the Government to undertake a large-scale solar programme to match the recent initiatives of the US and Japanese Governments.

2)

The US Government announced in New York in June a commitment to a 'Million Solar Roof' programme to be completed by 2010. The Japanese Government this year financially supported the construction of 10,000 solar homes. The Japanese solar industry (Canon, Sharp, Kyocera) is rapidly expanding its manufacturing to meet the rapidly expanding Japanese market. Greenpeace believes that similar action on solar by the Government will result in solar factories for Britain. BP recently stated that it 'is quite open to building a large manufacturing facility in the UK as the market develops' (ENDS, No 270, July 1997, page 17).