As part of its plans to boost production by 50% to 600MW in 2010 and its longer-term goal of reaching 1GW in capacity in 2013, Kyocera has started volume production at its new solar cell manufacturing facility in Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Completed in March, 2010, the facility will fabricate its record setting multicrystalline solar cells with 16.9% conversion efficiencies using ‘back contact’ cell technology.
Only recently, Kyocera had planned to ramp capacity by 40% to 400MW in 2010, indicating that continued strong demand has forced the company to revise upwards its ramp plans.
The company has a goal of expanding its sales channels this year to over 100 in key markets such as Japan, U.S. and Europe. A new plant in San Diego, U.S is also scheduled to start operations in summer 2010.
