The three winners won over the panel with their pioneering solutions that boost the efficiency, profitability and functionality of energy storage systems.

Munich, June 10, 2015 - ees Europe opened its doors today with the announcement of the ees AWARD winners. The ceremony saw Europes largest exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems pay tribute to the industrys outstanding innovations. The com- panies Aquion Energy, Inc., KOSTAL Industrie Elektrik GmbH and SOLARWATT GmbH impressed the panel of judges with their cutting-edge energy storage technologies.

The three winners won over the panel with their pioneering solutions that boost the efficiency, profitability and functionality of energy storage systems. Aquion Energy, Inc., for example, pre- sented an alternative to lithium-ion batteries and lead-based cells with its durable hybrid-ion batteries, while KOSTAL Industrie Elektrik GmbH stood out with its complete system consisting of a DC-coupled high-voltage battery, intelligent inverter and current sensor. Finally, SOLARWATT GmbH demonstrated how a solar storage unit can interact with an inverter even without a commu- nication device.

The panel examined the submissions degree of technological innovation, benefits for the industry, environment and society, as well as economic viability and quality of innovation. Applicants enter- ing the competition could only put forward storage technologies which were undergoing testing or were already in use (and that were being presented at Intersolar for the first time) or which showed significant developments in comparison to existing solutions at the time of submission. 2015 marks the second anniversary of the ees AWARD.

An overview of the ees AWARD winners:

Aquion Energy, Inc. (USA): The panel was impressed by the sustainability and reliability of the new generation of batteries presented by Aquion Energy, Inc. The Aqueous Hybrid Ion (AHI) bat- teries developed by the American company are suitable for stationary systems in domestic, off-grid and microgrid areas of application, and are almost exclusively made up of environmentally friendly components. A high level of safety is ensured by the use of an electrolyte based on an aqueous sodium sulfate solution. Since the cell temperature does not require monitoring, there is also no need to spend large amounts of money on fire protection and ventilation. Whats more, the bat- terys storage capacity remains constant even during extreme fluctuations in temperature. Overall, the panel was convinced that the technology had "the potential to boost efficiency".
KOSTAL Industrie Elektrik GmbH (Germany): The PIKO BA System Li invented by KOSTAL Industrie Elektrik GmbH is a three-phase storage device for private households. It combines an inverter, a lithium battery pack and a current sensor that can determine the households current energy demand in real time without the need for a separate battery inverter. Furthermore, the switch box protects the storage system from overvoltage. According to the panel, the durable lithi- um-ion battery stands out with its "versatility, reliability and modular design".

SOLARWATT GmbH (Germany): With its SOLARWATT MyReserve, the Dresden-based company has designed a modular battery storage system for home owners that is capable of being retrofit- ted. Featuring DC technology, the product is compatible with all conventional single-phase and three-phase inverters. It can be integrated without interfering with the solar arrays output or
communication system. In addition to its simple plug-and-play installation, MyReserve boasts an overall efficiency of 93%, enabling it to transform new and existing PV systems into particularly lucrative investments. The panel concluded: "The device won us over with its high level of energy efficiency as well as its remarkably safe design and ability to be integrated into existing systems."
ees Europe 2015 takes place alongside Intersolar Europe at Messe München from June 10-12.
Further information on ees Europe can be found at www.ees-europe.com.

About ees Europe
ees Europe is the international exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems. Since 2014, it has been taking place in conjunction with Intersolar Europe, the worlds leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners.

In 2014, around 250 manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and research institutes showcased products and services from the entire value-added chain of innovative battery and energy storage technologies at ees Europe and Intersolar Europe. Together with Intersolar Europe, ees Europe forms the worlds largest industry platform for the combination of storage systems and photovoltaics. The two exhibitions played host to around 1,100 exhibitors in 2014.

An accompanying, three-day specialist conference consolidated the topics at the ees Europe exhibition and Intersolar Europe 2014. Around 200 speakers and around 1,100 conference attendees discussed current indus- try topics and shed light on the background of technological, market and political developments. At the conference, a total of seven ees sessions provided an overview of the latest energy storage system develop- ments.
For more information on ees Europe, please visit: www.ees-europe.com