GERMANY –As announced by SMA Solar Technology AG, Gunther Cramer, the founder of the company, who has long held the position of CEO and Chairman of SMA Solar Technology AG Supervisory Board, died on 6 January 2015 at the age of 62 after a long and difficult illness. He was also awarded the German Environmental Award and had been elected President of the German PV industry Association, BSW-SOLAR, on several occasions.

“In Günther Cramer, we have lost an extraordinary person whom we will never forget,” declared Pierre-Pascal Urbon, the CEO of SMA “As the company founder, CEO and Chairman of the Supervisory Board, he shaped the history of SMA and its employees throughout his entire life. His courage, passion and commitment to the energy transition will always continue to serve as a model and an inspiration to us.”

“Günther Cramer set real standards in his endeavors to advance renewable energy and the industry. To that end, he was also involved at the level of energy policy-making and the energy industry—both in the North Hesse region as well as at the state and national level—with great commitment and success,” added Volker Wasgindt, Managing Director of CDW Stiftungsverbund. “His environmental and social commitments were unparalleled. Günther Cramer will always have a lasting place in our hearts, not only due to his achievements but also as an exceptional person

After leaving the SMA management, he established the Günther Cramer Foundation, part of the CDW STIFTUNGSVERBUND GmbH network of foundations. The Günther Cramer Foundation works alongside foundations created by Peter Drews and Reiner Wettlaufer and has the defined goals of providing the electrification for remote areas of developing countries through the use of renewable energy and to further develop the northern region of Hesse.
SMAand the networkof the foundationsaid thatthe Günther Cramer’svision and objectiveswill remain enshrined at SMASolarTechnolog AGandCDW Stiftungsverbund and will continue to be pursuedby their employees, true to his motto: “Let’s be realists and attemptthe impossible.”