Xantrex Technology Inc., a subsidiary of Schneider Electric, announces the launch of the Xantrex GT500 Grid Tie Solar Power Inverter at Solar Power International 2008 - North America's largest solar industry conference and exposition.

VANCOUVER, B.C., October 14, 2008 - Xantrex Technology Inc., a subsidiary of Schneider Electric, announces the launch of the Xantrex GT500 Grid Tie Solar Power Inverter at Solar Power International 2008 - North America's largest solar industry conference and exposition.

The new Xantrex GT500 is a 500 kilowatt (kW) solar power inverter designed to meet the increasing energy requirements of large scale applications for utilities and businesses. The GT500 inverter uses the latest switching devices and a high-efficiency transformer to achieve a weighted California Energy Commission (CEC) efficiency rating of 96.5% (estimated).

"The launch of the GT500 is an important development in our North American solar strategy," said Nazir Mulji, General Manager of Xantrex. "It addresses the needs of the growing number of utility scale projects across the continent."

The Xantrex GT500 is available with two AC output voltage options; an integrated isolation transformer with an output voltage of 480 volts (V) or an external medium voltage transformer with a customer selectable primary voltage. The medium voltage option allows customers to interface with utility voltages while improving system efficiency by having only one transformer in the system. Additional features of the GT500 include the use of busbars for reliable power distribution and electrical connections, an optional sub-array string combiner integrated with the inverter, and optional sub-array string current monitoring.

The Xantrex GT Series now includes 100 kW, 250 kW and 500 kW models, which offer superior performance, reliability, and efficiency. GT Series products are easy to install, and come with a top-quality service program for large commercial and utility scale projects. Xantrex is a North American market leader for solar inverters, with hundreds of megawatts (MW) installed worldwide.

The GT500 and a complete portfolio of Xantrex solar products will be on display in San Diego, California at Solar Power International 2008 in the Xantrex booth #1513 at the San Diego Convention Center from October 13 to 16, 2008.

For more information on Xantrex solar inverters and backup power systems, please visit
www.xantrex.com/renewablesystems.

For more information on Solar Power International 2008, please visit www.solarpowerconference.com.

About Xantrex

Xantrex Technology Inc. (www.xantrex.com), a subsidiary of Schneider Electric, is a world leader in the development, manufacturing and marketing of advanced power electronic products and systems for the renewable and mobile power markets. The company's products convert and control raw electrical power from any central, distributed, renewable, or backup power source into high-quality power required by electronic equipment and the electricity grid. Xantrex is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with facilities in the United States, Germany, Spain, and a joint venture in China.

About Schneider Electric

As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centers/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, and efficient, the company's 120,000 employees achieved sales of more than 17.3 billion euros in 2007, through an active commitment to help individuals and organizations "Make the most of their energy.TM"
www.schneider-electric.com

Xantrex and Smart choice for power are trademarks of Schneider Electric Services International SAS, registered in the United States and other countries.

For further information, please contact:

Xantrex Media Relations
604-422-2589
mediarelations@xantrex.com