Kyocera Corporation (President: Tetsuo Kuba) announced that it will install solar power generating systems using the company’s own solar modules at six domestic plants by March 2011, generating a total of 593kW, as part of its activities to promote environmental protection. This move will increase the number of Kyocera domestic manufacturing sites equipped with solar power generating systems to 10 — all of the company's manufacturing sites in Japan — and the number of global group company sites to 20. Kyocera already has a number of solar power generating systems installed at its group companies inside and outside Japan, which combined with the new systems, will boost the company’s total output to 1,815kW (1.8MW).
Among the six plants to be equipped with new systems are the Yasu Plant (Shiga), which is the company’s new solar cell manufacturing plant; the Kitami Plant (Hokkaido), which mainly manufactures mobile phone handsets; and the Sendai Plant (Kyushu), which mainly manufactures ceramic components and ceramic knives. The six new systems are expected to generate 591,000kWh in total per year — equivalent to the annual power consumption of approximately 125 standard households.
At present, Kyocera has solar power generating systems installed at 14 of its group company locations around the world — which is contributing to the preservation of the environment by helping to reduce CO2 emissions.
In Japan, Kyocera’s solar energy field-testing facility — the Sakura Solar Energy Center located just outside of Tokyo near Narita airport — is equipped with a 43kW solar power generating system that was installed in 1984. The system has continued to perform efficiently for over 25 years, and has provided unprecedented, long-term field-test data. In 1998, the company’s new global headquarters was constructed in Kyoto with a 214kW solar power generating system installed on the southern-facing wall and roof.
In 2005, KYOCERA MITA Espana S.A. installed a solar power generating system on its facilities in Madrid. In the same year, the Kyocera Group’s North American headquarters, KYOCERA International Inc. in San Diego, installed a solar power generating system built in the unique design of a grove of solar trees in the staff parking lot. The system generates electricity under the Southern California sun, while also acting as a shade to keep the sun off of cars.
Kyocera will continue to make contributions to the promotion of solar power as a solar module manufacturer and strive to reduce environmental burden in the course of its business activities by installing solar generating systems at more of the company’s sites.