SANYO ramps up solar production from 130 to 220 MW
SANYO will ramp up its solar cell production line from 130 to 220 megawatts. Image courtesy of Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.Japan’s SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. announced on June 23 that it will add another solar photovoltaic (PV) cell production line to its Shimane plant in Unnan City, Shimane prefecture, Japan.
The Shimane factory has an existing production line for SANYO’s Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer (HIT) solar cell. The first production line at the facility was installed in 2001, and another factory building was completed in 2008, bringing its production capacity to 130 megawatts (MW). The new production line is being assembled in the second floor of the building that houses the existing production line, bringing total production capacity to 220 MW when it is completed in April next year.
SANYO also produces the HIT solar cell in its Nishikinohama factory in Kaizuka City, in Osaka prefecture. Its current combined production capacity for solar cells is 340 MW annually.
The company plans on raising its total production capacity to 600 MW by fiscal year 2010. It has not yet released details about the expansion plans for its Nishikinohama factory.
SANYO’s long-term goal is to raise HIT solar cell production capacity to two gigawatts (GW) by 2020. SANYO also has joint venture with Nippon Oil Corp. (ENEOS) called SANYO ENEOS Solar Co. to manufacture thin-film PV solar cells.
The company is anticipating the demand of solar cells in the home market of Japan, as well as worldwide to increase. Japan is undergoing a re-emergence of its “Residential Solar Power Generation System Subsidy.” It also wants to take advantage of similar subsidies and programs throughout North America and Europe.
SANYO Electric Co. Ltd. has been in the solar panel manufacturing business since 1975. In 1980, the company started the world’s first commercial production of amorphous silicon solar cells. In 1994, it started to market the Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer solar cell (HIT). By 2007, SANYO had produced 100 million units of the HIT. The HIT was measured in 2003 with cell conversion efficiency of 19.7%, and a module efficiency of 17%. SANYO Electric Co. Ltd. is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
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Mike R. Lopez
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