Establishment of standards critical to the success of the solar energy industry

MONTREAL, QC, April 26, 2005 - ICP Solar, a leading manufacturer of products based on advanced solar technology, today announced its key role in the self-regulation of the solar industry in Canada.

Solar is the fastest-growing global source of energy. In 2003, the solar electric industry grew by 36% worldwide. In Canada, early adopters are using solar energy after years of industry- and government-sponsored education and millions of dollars in investment. Increased concern for the environment, rising energy costs and advances in solar technology are factors that have merged to create an opportunity for explosive growth in solar energy.

However, this opportunity may be lost if challenges to consumer confidence are not overcome. In order to make informed decisions, consumers need easy-to-understand and reliable guidelines for comparing the efficiency of solar to other traditional energy sources. Furthermore, misleading performance claims are endangering the legitimacy of the solar industry.

Therefore, and in absence of coherent government leadership, it is imperative for the solar energy industry to establish standards of self-regulation. Through its involvement with the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA), ICP Solar has taken a leading role in advancing the standardization of the solar industry in Canada.

"The Canadian solar industry is at a pivotal moment," said Sass Peress, CEO, ICP Solar. "If the public's confidence is lost due to an absence of standards and misleading performance claims by some disreputable manufacturers, it will be very difficult to ever recover. As an industry, we need to help consumers understand what they are buying. I invite my colleagues and competitors to enact and enforce self-regulation standards. It is critical to the future of the solar energy industry," Mr. Peress added.

CanSIA believes that industry-approved standards will protect all parties - consumers, retailers, purchasers - and accelerate broad market acceptance. To this end, CanSIA has asked the Federal government to support industry certification in Canada. Regrettably, a clear response has not been forthcoming.

In the meantime, all manufacturers of products sold in Canada should agree to independent testing and reporting on product performance and other standards. ICP Solar is leading by example. All ICP Solar products are certified through independent testing before being introduced to the marketplace. Furthermore, ICP products are benchmarked against "real world" conditions - not the artificial (and forgiving) environment of the test lab. ICP's industry-leading standards often result in the under-evaluation of performance claims, which represents added value for consumers. But, to enact real change, retailers must insist on selling only solar energy products that are certified according to industry standards. Due to its environmental benefits, the increasing adoption of solar energy is ultimately in the best interest of all Canadians - and everyone on Earth.

About ICP Solar

ICP Solar is a leading manufacturer of products based on advanced solar technology. ICP Solar develops innovative solar-powered products that respond to the needs of consumer, commercial and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) clients. Founded in 1988, ICP Solar has distribution in more than 160 countries worldwide. Headquarters in Montreal, Canada, ICP Solar also has manufacturing and distribution facilities in the UK, Hong Kong and Germany. For more information, please visit www.icpsolar.com, write press@icpsolar.com, or call 1-888-427-7652.