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Kyocera TCL Solar LLC, a joint venture established by Kyocera and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation (Century Tokyo Leasing), has completed construction of its third floating mega-solar (large-scale solar) power plant in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The 2.3MW plant will generate approximately 2,680 MWh of solar electricity per year.
Through its projects, Kyocera and Century Tokyo Leasing hope to contribute to the expansion of renewable energy and development of a low carbon society. The electricity generated by the Hyogo plant is equivalent to about 820 typical households’ annual power consumption.
Also in Hyogo Prefecture, Kyocera TCL Solar, funded in August 2012, has completed two floating solar installations: a 1.7 MW and a 1.2MW plants that began operation last month. The 2.3MW plant does not only mark the third floating solar power plant in Japan, it is also the largest one in the nation. Yet, the company is now developing another, and much larger, floating installation on a dam reservoir in Chiba Prefecture. The installation capacity of new plant would be as large as 13.4MW.
Floating solar power systems typically generate more electricity than ground-mount and rooftop systems due to the cooling effect of the water. Moreover, such kind of systems can reduce reservoir water evaporation and algae growth by shading the water. The floating platforms used for sustaining these solar systems are 100% recyclable, utilizing high-density polyethylene, which can withstand ultraviolet rays and resists corrosion. They are also strong enough to withstand extreme physical stress, including typhoon conditions.
Kyocera TCL Solar LLC was established for the purpose of constructing and operating multiple solar power plants in Japan. Due to the rapid implementation of solar power, securing tracts of land suitable for utility-scale plants is becoming increasingly difficult in Japan.