POCATELLO, ID and QIDONG, CHINA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 05/13/08 -- Hoku Materials, Inc., a
wholly owned subsidiary of Hoku Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOKU),
established to manufacture and sell polysilicon for the solar market, and
Solarfun Power Hong Kong Limited, a subsidiary of Solarfun Power Holdings
Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: SOLF), an established manufacturer of both photovoltaic
(PV) cells and modules in China, today announced that they have amended
their polysilicon supply contract to increase the term of the contract from
eight to ten years. Total amounts that may be payable to Hoku Materials
under the contract have increased from up to approximately $306 million for
the eight year contract, to up to approximately $384 million for the
amended ten year contract. Hoku Materials and Solarfun also agreed to a
mutual right to terminate the supply agreement if Hoku Materials is unable
to raise an aggregate of $75 million in financing for its polysilicon
production plant by December 31, 2008 (including the $25 million that was
already raised by Hoku Scientific's sale of common stock in February 2008).
Solarfun may also terminate the agreement if Hoku Materials is unable to
complete polysilicon shipment milestones and quality specifications by
December 31, 2009.
"We're strengthening our relationship with Solarfun by extending the term
from eight to ten years," said Dustin Shindo, chairman and chief executive
officer of Hoku Scientific. "A ten-year term allows us to better plan for
our long-term operations, including the timing of future product sales and
plant expansions. Adding the financing milestone gives each company the
flexibility to terminate the contract if Hoku is ultimately unable to
finance the completion of the plant. This makes sense for both companies,
as it would be impossible to honor a long-term purchase and supply
commitment if the plant is ultimately not built."
"We are pleased with the amendment of our contract with Hoku," said
Solarfun's chief executive officer, Harold Hoskens. "We look forward to
their timely delivery of polysilicon as scheduled by the 2nd half of 2009."
About Hoku Scientific, Inc.
Hoku Scientific, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOKU) is a diversified clean energy
technologies company with three business units: Hoku Materials, Hoku Solar
and Hoku Fuel Cells. Hoku Materials plans to manufacture, market, and sell
polysilicon for the solar market from its plant currently under
construction in Pocatello, Idaho. Hoku Solar is a provider of turnkey
photovoltaic systems in Hawaii. Hoku Fuel Cells has developed proprietary
fuel cell membranes and membrane electrode assemblies for stationary and
automotive proton exchange membrane fuel cells. For more information visit
www.hokuscientific.com.
Hoku® and Hoku Scientific® are registered trademarks and Hoku Solar(TM)
and Hoku Fuel Cells(TM) are trademarks of Hoku Scientific, Inc. Hoku
Materials(TM) is a trademark of Hoku Materials, Inc. All rights reserved.
About Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
Solarfun Power Holdings Co, Ltd. (NASDAQ: SOLF) manufactures both PV cells
and PV modules, provides PV cell processing services to convert silicon
wafers into PV cells, and supplies solar system integration services in
China. Solarfun produces both monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon
cells and modules, and manufactures 100% of its modules with in-house
produced PV cells. Solarfun sells its products both through third-party
distributors, OEM manufacturers and directly to system integrators.
Solarfun was founded in 2004 and its products have been certified to TUV
and UL safety and quality standards. For more information visit
www.solarfun.com.cn.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve many
risks and uncertainties. These statements relate to Hoku Materials's
ability to successfully derive revenues from the sale of polysilicon to
Solarfun; its ability to successfully raise sufficient funds to establish a
polysilicon manufacturing plant by December 31, 2008, or at all; its
ability to engineer and construct a production plant for polysilicon; Hoku
Scientific's relationship with Solarfun; its ability to manufacture
polysilicon; its ability to meet the polysilicon shipment milestones and
quality specifications in its agreement with Solarfun by December 31, 2009,
if at all; the quality of polysilicon to be manufactured; Hoku Materials's
costs to manufacture polysilicon, and its ability to offer pricing that is
competitive with competing products; Hoku Scientific and Solarfun's
respective future financial performance; their business strategies and
plans; and objectives of each company's management for future operations.
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as
"anticipate," "believe," "can," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect,"
"intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should,"
"will," "would" and similar expressions intended to identify
forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown
risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Hoku Scientific's
actual results, performance, time frames or achievements to be materially
different from any future results, performance, time frames or achievements
expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Given these risks,
uncertainties and other factors, you should not place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements. In evaluating these statements, you
should specifically consider the risks described in Hoku Scientific and
Solarfun's respective filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
as applicable. Except as required by law, neither Hoku Scientific nor
Solarfun assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements
publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially
from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new
information becomes available in the future.
CONTACTS for Hoku Scientific:
In Hawaii:
Hoku Scientific
Tel: 808-682-7800
Email Contact
CONTACTS for Solarfun Power Hong Kong Limited
Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd.
Investor Relations
8621-6306-8907
Email Contact
or
Christensen Peter Homstad
Email Contact
480 614 3000
or
Shelldy Cheung
852-2117 0861
Email Contact