AGO AG Energie + Anlagen’s climate protection program ECo-Plus among the top three in the category ‘Energy & Environment’

AGO AG Energie + Anlagen was awarded in the context of the Industry Prize 2009 *A Kulmbach based company is successful in the competition of the Initiative for Medium-sized Companies for the third time *

• Nomination in the category ‘Energy & Environment’
• Federal Minister of Economics, Mr. Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg personally congratulated

Kulmbach, 22 April 2009: AGO AG Energie + Anlagen (WKN: A0LR41; ISIN: DE000A0LR415) is among the top three nominated companies in the category ‘Energy & Environment’ of the Initiative for medium-sized companies in the Industry Prize 2009. The jury of editors and PR experts appreciates AGO AG’s achievements in terms of innovative content and industrial benefit with a position among the three best companies. The Federal Minister of Economics, Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg, congratulates AGO AG at the Hanover Trade Fair.

The climate protection program by AGO AG was explicitly developed from industry and for the industry, explains Ulrich Gruber, C.F.O. of AGO AG Energie + Anlagen.The goal is to realize the conversion from oil and gas to wood chips or pellets as energy source. Mr. zu Guttenberg emphasized that especially the focus on climate protection and the support of the industry when it comes to investments in regenerative energy supply plants led to the positioning of the top three. The program was an excellent example for how German companies could overcome recession successfully with courage and innovation.

AGO AG is the first contractor in Germany to develop a project for the joint implementation of climate protection with the sole focus on biomass utilization. The climate protection program aims at industrial customers and public institutions in Germany and applies to energy centres with combustion heat performances of 400 kW to 19.9 MW. By approving this project, the Federal Republic of Germany authorizes AGO AG Energie + Anlagen to take part in a project according to Article 6 of the Kyoto Protocol.

“With the initiation of the ECo-Plus climate protection program, we are the pioneer in a highly interesting market environment. It is our ambition to convince Germany’s medium-sized companies and municipalities of changing their energy supply from fossil to regenerative fuels by means of ecological factors and economically attractive conditions. Through the conversion, the companies reduce their CO2 emissions and benefit from emission allowances which can be sold profitably . We are all the more happy to be one of the nominated companies again this year. That shows that AGO is on the right track when it comes to innovation, says Ulrich Gruber, CFO of AGO AG. The company is not just an industrial energy supplier, it is much more a partner of the industry and public authorities when economically optimal energy supply solutions are concerned, taking the environmental awareness into consideration.

The nomination already is the third appreciation by the initiative for medium-sized companies. In 2007, the biomass cogeneration plant in Alperstedt was awarded in the field of ‘energy & environment’ and in 2008 the ammonia/water absorption chiller “ago congelo” was awarded in the category ‘engineering’.

Hans Ulrich Gruber (on the right-hand side), CFO of AGO AG Energie + Anlagen, talking to the Federal Minister of Economics, Karl Theodor zu Guttenberg (on the left-hand side)

Hans Ulrich Gruber (on the right hand-side), CFO of AGO AG Energie + Anlagen, baroness Stephanie zu Guttenberg (in the middle of the picture), Franz Brosch, member of supervisory board (on the left-hand side)

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About AGO AG Energie + Anlagen

AGO AG Energie + Anlagen, with its registered office in Kulmbach, was founded in 1980 and is specialized in the area of innovative and efficient energy supply facilities for industrial customers and municipalities. Main focus of AGO AG Energie + Anlagen is laid on the following business divisions: plant development and implementation, as well as service and consulting. The core competence of the company mainly commits to thermal power stations, to heating, cooling and ventilation technology plant construction, biomass cogeneration plants and trigeneration. Site studies and development, consulting in energy efficiency, resource and fossil fuel management as well as emission trade management – these factors complete the business model. AGO symbolizes efficiency, security and technological competence of your energy supply facilities.