Kyocera Collaborates to Build Solar Plant in Southern Japan

Three companies including Kyocera, Mizuho Corporate Bank and IHI have declared that they have concluded a basic contract to build a 70 MW solar plant at southern Japan and to find a business model for solar power production.

The solar power project, which will leverage the strengths of the three companies including 35 years long solar business expertise of Kyocera, financial expertise of Mizuho Corporate Bank, and IHIs’ proactive stance on renewable energy usage, will be constructed at Kagoshima City in Kagoshima Prefecture.

As per the contract, Kyocera will deliver all the solar modules required for the project and will handle part of the maintenance and construction of the system, Mizuho CB will develop a financial plan, and IHI will obtain the land through leasing options and will take part in the operations of the project.

The large solar plant is being constructed to resolve the power supply problems in Japan that occurred due to the Great East Japan Earthquake, and to contribute for environment protection measures such as reducing CO₂ emissions.

The solar project will cover almost 1270000 m² area of the IHI land, and nearly 25 billion yen is expected to be spent on the project. About 290,000 multicrystalline solar modules from Kyocera will be used for the project. The project will produce about 79,000 MWh power per year that is sufficient to provide electricity for nearly 22,000 moderate homes and will support in reducing 25000 t of CO₂ emissions annually. Moreover, to take care of the business operation of the project, a special-purpose company will be formed.

Project construction will begin from July, 2012.