Solar-Cell Production Increasing in Japan

Japanese solar-cell manufacturers have increased their annual production capacities to meet a rapid increase in demand for photovoltaic systems at home and abroad.

Sharp Corp., the world's leading manufacturer of photovoltaic products, increased its annual production capacity from 315 to 400 megawatts (MW) in January 2005, and is considering further expansion. Kyocera Corp. plans to boost its current annual production capacity from 150 MW to 240 MW in August 2005.

Mitsubishi Electric Corp. plans to expand its annual production capacity from 90 MW to 135 MW by April 2005, then to 230 MW after fiscal 2006. Sanyo Electric Co. also aims to boost annual output to 133 MW during fiscal 2004 from the previous 63 MW, by accelerating its original plans to achieve 120 MW in fiscal 2005.

Japanese demand for photovoltaics, especially for residential use, has seen a steady increase, as Japan continues to be a leader in the global market. A sharp rise is expected both in domestic and foreign markets for large-scale photovoltaics for industrial use and electricity supply. Sharp Corp. estimates that global demand for photovoltaics will reach 1,600 MW in fiscal 2006, or about 1.8 times larger than two years earlier. To deal with increased demand, solar-battery manufacturers are focusing their efforts on reducing production costs and on developing value-added products and large solar-power systems for industrial use.



Posted: 2005/06/10 03:10:15 PM
Japanese version