Tuesday, July 31, 2007

GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER INSTALLS SOLAR ARRAY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jamie Finley

Director of Marketing

216.696.3634

finleyj@glsc.org

GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER INSTALLS SOLAR ARRAY

Second phase in advanced energy initiative, joining wind turbine to raise community and civic awareness of renewable energy opportunities

CLEVELAND, July 31, 2007 – Nearly a year after installing what has become Cleveland’s iconic wind turbine, the Great Lakes Science Center is installing a 300 foot solar array canopy at its entrance. The solar panels represent the Great Lakes Science Center’s second advanced energy initiative and, coupled with the wind turbine, will continue to raise community and civic awareness regarding renewable energy. The array consists of 156 GE solar panels with a 31.2kW capacity.

The solar array is made possible through funding from Cleveland Foundation, Ferro Corporation and the U.S. Department of Energy. Additional partners include Panzica Construction, Doty & Miller Architects and GE Energy. The project, named SolarWorks, will be dedicated on July 11 at 10:30 a.m.

“Our advanced energy initiative, and specifically the solar array, brings the Great Lakes Science Center mission of demonstrating the interrelationship between science, technology and the environment to life,” said Linda Abraham-Silver, president and executive director, Great Lakes Science Center. In fact, the solar array was designed to provide an immediate, meaningful renewable energy experience to anyone that approaches the Great Lakes Science Center.

The solar panels will provide an estimated 24-28kW instantaneous output on a sunny day in the spring or fall, out of a 31.2kW capacity. The array is expected to produce 36,000 – 43,000kWh during the course of a year, averaging approximately 100kWh per day. This is the equivalent of the average electricity needed for four Ohio homes, or up to eight energy- efficient homes. The energy generated will be enough power to light all of the Great Lakes Science Center exhibition galleries—more than 65,000 square feet of exhibition space.Energy generation is only one objective, of course, for the solar panels, according to Great Lakes Science Center President and Executive Director Linda Abraham-Silver. “We want to raise awareness, engage curiosity and encourage discussion, just as we do with our indoor signature exhibits and programs.” An interior touch-screen kiosk will provide both real-time and historical data visualizations, including power generated over time, and the amount of carbon dioxide not generated for the power equivalent.

Doty & Miller Architects and Panzica Construction provided design and construction for the project. Construction started at the beginning of May and will be ready for the beginning of the Solar Conference.

About Ferro Corporation

Ferro Corporation (www.ferro.com) was founded in 1919 in Cleveland, and today, Cleveland remains home to our worldwide headquarters. The Company is a leading global supplier of technology-based performance materials for manufacturers. Our materials enhance the performance of products in a variety of end markets, including solar energy, electronics, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, building and renovation, appliances, automotive, household furnishings, and industrial products. Ferro has approximately 6,700 employees who work in 20 countries around the world. The Company reported sales of $2.0 billion in 2006.

About Ferro Electronic Material Systems

Ferro Electronic Material Systems is the fastest growing business at Ferro. Its products include metal pastes and powders for solar energy applications, advanced packaging and thick film conductors; chemical mechanical planarization slurries for semiconductors and advanced integrated circuits; dielectrics used in passive chip components and multilayer ceramic capacitors; and surface finishing materials for LCD, hard disk and ophthalmic lens polishing. Ferro Electronic Material Systems is based in Cleveland, and has production, laboratory, sales, and technical support facilities around the world, including Vista, CA; Penn Yan and Niagara Falls, NY; South Plainfield, NJ; Haverhill, United Kingdom; Uden, The Netherlands; Hanau, Germany; Tsukuba, Japan; and Suzhou, China.

About The Cleveland Foundation

Established in 1914, The Cleveland Foundation is the nation’s third-largest community foundation with assets of $1.9 billion. The Foundation improves the lives of Greater Clevelanders by building community endowments, addressing needs through grant making, and providing leadership on vital issues. For more information The Cleveland Foundation, please visit www.clevelandfoundation.org

About Great Lakes Science Center

The Great Lakes Science Center year, is one of the nation’s leading science and technology centers, featuring more than 400 signature hands-on exhibits, themed traveling exhibitions, daily demonstrations and the awe-inspiring OMNIMAX® Theater. The Science Center is open daily 9:30AM to 5:30PM with discounted parking for guests in the attached 500-car garage. For more information, contact the Great Lakes Science Center at 216 694-2000 or visit www.GreatScience.com

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Sandra R. Stafford
SPQR Public Relations
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