Kyocera (News - Alert) TCL Solar, a joint venture company of Kyocera Corporation and Century Tokyo, has started operating its 2.4 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan.
The Takamatsu Ikushima Mega Solar Plant will be able to operate up to 35 small to mid-sized utility-scale solar power plants in Japan.
In 2012, Japan’s restructured feed-in-tariff (FIT) for solar power generation was launched. This has been instrumental in stimulating remarkable demand for industrial-use solar power generating systems. The growth has made Japan a strong contender as the world’s largest solar market.
This demand instigated Kyocera and Century Tokyo Leasing to launch the joint venture and establish Kyocera TCL Solar LLC in 2012. Century Tokyo Leasing is the main shareholder and will finance solar projects with Kyocera. Century Tokyo will provide all solar modules and take care of system construction and ongoing maintenance, revealed officials.
In addition to the Takamatsu Ikushima Mega Solar Plant, Kyocera TCL Solar has also started work on ten similar projects. According to plans, five of them will have capacities less than 2MW and do not require high-voltage transmission lines.
The success of these projects has helped the company move closer to its goal of 35 complete projects in two years. They will all be small to mid-sized utility-scale power plants. Thus, construction time is measurably less than what is needed for larger utility-scale installations.
All the plants put together can generate a cumulative capacity of approximately 60 to 70MW. This is enough power to serve the needs of about 20,000 local households. The electric power generated will be sold to utilities via FIT system in Japan.
As part of its ecofriendly initiatives, Kyocera is striving to augment its solar energy-related business to include construction and operation of solar power plants in Japan, beyond production and supply of solar modules. The company also deals with Lithium-ion batteries and home energy management systems (HEMs), which ensure energy efficiency in the house.
Recently, Kyocera Corporation donated solar power generating systems to four secondary schools in Tanzania and three primary schools in Uganda in order to improve the infrastructure in schools. According to the company, this donation will help in the development of students’ education.
Edited by Blaise McNamee