In a move which compliments the news of Japan’s recent government support for renewables, Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. and its 100% subsidiary Showa Shell Solar K.K. have decided to construct their third CIS PV plant in Miyazaki Prefecture, which is planned to start operations in 2011.
Showa Shell began production of its first CIS thin-film ‘Solacis’ module plant back in 2007, which now has an annual capacity of 20MW. Since then the company constructed a second in the first quarter of 2009, with an annual capacity of 60MW and most recently, announces the plans for a third.
The annual production capacity of the third plant is aimed at reaching the 900MW mark, with an investment of approximately 100 billion yen. Combined with the first plant and the second plant that are already in operation, Showa Shell’s total annual production capacity is expected to reach approximately 1GW.
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Showa Shell will also purchase the Miyazaki Plant owned by Hitachi Plasma Display located in Kunitomi-cho, Higashimorokata-gun, Miyazaki, and install equipment there in order to get the third plant’s construction under way as soon as possible. Production from the plant will be sold in Japan and around the world for various uses including residential, industrial and solar power generation. Research and development of production technology for this third plant will be conducted at Atsugi Research Center.
With this investment decision, Showa Shell steps forward in pursuing its Medium Term Business Vision, “EPOCH 2010: Conquer the Change, Pioneer the Future,” in which expansion of the solar business is a key priority.