MANITOWOC, Wis., Jun 19, 2008 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- The Miller Brewing Company's 2008 Sustainable Development Report highlights Orion Energy Systems (Nasdaq:OESX) for delivering 9 million kilowatt hours in annual energy savings and nearly 9,000 tons of annual green house gas emissions reductions.

"The new fixtures provide better light, are more efficient and help reduce Miller's energy consumption," according to Miller's 2008 Sustainable Development Report, which was released to the public June 4. "New motion sensors automatically conserve energy when the lights are not needed and the (integrated) light (pipes) determine and regulate the amount of light needed, if at all, during daylight hours."

Miller's implementation of Orion's integrated energy management platform began at Miller's Milwaukee brewery, where Orion replaced Miller's aging high-intensity discharge (HID) fixtures with Orion's high-performance, Compact Modular(tm) high-intensity fluorescent (HIF) lighting system. The energy savings prompted the installation of Orion's products at five other Miller facilities including Eden, N.C.; Albany, Ga.; Trenton, Ohio; Fort Worth, Texas; and Irwindale, Calif.

"The Milwaukee brewery was chosen to implement the upgrade to test the concept," the report says. "Once the test proved the concept, the breweries and operations teams moved forward with new lighting across all major breweries."

Orion's integrated energy management platform combines Orion's patented Compact Modular(tm) HIF fixtures with wireless InteLite(tm) controls and renewable Apollo(tm) Light Pipes. The light pipes can reduce a company's dependence on electricity for up to 10 hours a day by automatically turning off lights when there is sufficient renewable daylight to illuminate facility operations.

"Miller's Sustainable Development Report exemplifies the focus and attention leading companies are devoting to energy efficiency, the environment and sustainable operations," commented Erik Birkerts, Orion's vice president of strategy. "This growing awareness across corporate America works to our favor as our energy management solutions deliver sustainable energy savings and environmental benefits while improving light quality and quantity."

Thanks to Miller, the nearly 9 million kilowatt-hours removed from the electrical grid means nearly 9,000 tons of greenhouse gases will not enter the atmosphere.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the reduction in greenhouse gases equates to planting 1,651 acres of trees, removing 1,454 cars from the road or saving 754,959 gallons of gasoline annually.

In addition to environmental benefits, Miller is estimated to save $595,000 annually in energy costs or nearly $12 million across the 20-year system lifecycle.

The sustainability report can be viewed on the Miller Brewing website at http://www.millerbrewing.com/aboutmiller/sustainabledev/miller2008SDReport.pdf.

Orion has deployed its energy management systems in 3,655 facilities across North America. Since 2001, Orion technology has displaced more than 334 megawatts, saving customers more than $351 million and reducing indirect carbon dioxide emissions by 4.4 million tons.

About Orion Energy Systems Inc.

Orion Energy Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:OESX) is a leading power technology enterprise that designs, manufactures and implements energy management systems, consisting primarily of high-performance, energy-efficient lighting systems, controls and related services for commercial and industrial customers without compromising their quantity or quality of light. For more information, visit www.oriones.com.

The Orion Energy Systems, Inc. logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=4540

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SOURCE: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.

Orion Energy Systems Inc.
          Media Contact
          Linda Diedrich, Director Corporate Communications
          920-482-1988
          ljd@oes1.com

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