Kyocera's large 70MW solar power plant inaugurated in Japan

Date: 05/11/2013
Kyocera Corporation has launched 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.

Japan is now focusing more on the renewable energy for its energy needs after the massive earthquake and tsunami disaster in 2011. The Japanese government launched a restructured FIT program in July 2012, which stipulates that local utilities are required to purchase 100% of the power generated from solar installations of more than 10 kilowatts (kW) for a period of 20 years.

Kyocera Group has supplied solar PV modules to the plant and is also involved in the maintenance of the system with Kyudenko Corporation.

There is also a tourist attraction built for this plant. A circular viewing room is built 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. Display zones for visitors such as students and tourists provide information about environmental issues and the science behind photovoltaic energy generation.