German prime minister visits Camarillo solar factory

SolarWorld's Camarillo solar photovoltaic factory recently hosted a roundtable discussion about energy conservation and renewable energy between the city of Camarillo, Ventura County, and University of California representatives along with Dr. Jurgen Ruttgers, prime minister of North Rhine Westphalia, Germany.

Following the discussion, the guests were given a tour of SolarWorld's factory, which has been manufacturing photovoltaic modules since 1977.

Guests were also introduced to the company's student intern Ronald Libor, who told them about Bochum University's SolarWorldsponsored solar racing team, which won the design award at last year's World Solar Challenge in Australia.

Ruttgers, who served as Germany's federal minister of education, research, science and technology from 1994 to 1998, is visiting Camarillo as part of a national informational tour of the United States. He talked about Germany's successful renewable energy programs and solicited advice from local officials about localized conservation and renewable energy programs.

The discussion was monitored by Cheryl Collart, director of the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance. The panel included Bill Burratto, president of Ventura County Economic Development Association; Don Wauch, vice mayor of Camarillo; and professor Ernst Ulrich von Weizaker, dean of the Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UC Santa Barbara.