Kyocera has announced the launch of a 70 megawatt (MW) solar power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan.
The Kagoshima Nanatsujima Mega Solar Power Plant went online on November 1 and is being operated by a special purpose company established by Kyocera and six other companies to sell the electricity to a local utility under Japan’s feed-in-tariff (FIT) program.
This is one of the many solar projects ramping up in Japan after the Tsunami effect of the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. Solar is emerging as the safer alternative to nuclear energy.
As part of the efforts to promote the use of renewable energy, the Japanese government launched a restructured FIT program in July 2012, which stipulates that local utilities are required to purchase 100 percent of the power generated from solar installations of more than 10 kilowatts (kW) for a period of 20 years.
Exploring a new business model for utility-scale solar power generation, Kagoshima Mega Solar Power Corporation was established by Kyocera and six other companies in July 2012.
Under a financing plan devised by Mizuho Corporate Bank, the new company was tasked to develop and operate the 70MW solar power plant on land owned by IHI Corporation — with the power generated to be purchased by Kyushu Electric Power based on the FIT program.
As the largest shareholder of the new company, the Kyocera Group was responsible for the supply of solar modules as well as part of the construction, and will also undertake maintenance of the system with Kyudenko Corporation.
Additionally, a tour facility has been built adjacent to the 70MW plant, which is open to the public — featuring a circular viewing room where visitors can observe the 290,000 solar panels from an elevated vantage point and enjoy the view of the ocean bay and grand Sakurajima volcano in the background.