KYOTO, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kyocera Corporation (President: Goro Yamaguchi; herein “Kyocera,”) and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation (President: Shunichi Asada; herein “Century Tokyo Leasing”) announced today that Kyocera TCL Solar LLC, a joint venture established by the two companies, has completed construction of two floating mega-solar power plants at Nishihira Pond and Higashihira Pond in Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The plants, inaugurated in late March, will generate an estimated 3,300 megawatt hours (MWh) per year in total— enough electricity to power approximately 920 typical households*.
To see a video of the plant, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0801_K7VZGo
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Overview of the Project in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan |
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| Location | Two reservoirs in Kato City, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan | |
| Operation | Kyocera TCL Solar LLC | |
| Output |
Nishihira Pond: 1.7MW; Higashihira Pond: 1.2MW
(Total: 2.9MW) |
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| Solar Modules | 255-watt Kyocera modules (11,256 modules in total) | |
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Expected annual power |
Approx. 3,300MWh/year Electricity generated will be sold to the local utility (The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc.) through Japan’s feed-in-tariff system. |
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| Start of construction | September 2014 | |
| Start of operation | March 2015 | |
Features
- Floating solar power generating systems typically generate more electricity than ground-mount and rooftop systems due to the cooling effect of the water.
- They reduce reservoir water evaporation and algae growth by shading the water.
- Floating platforms are 100% recyclable, utilizing high-density polyethylene, which can withstand ultraviolet rays and resists corrosion.
- The floating platforms are designed and engineered to withstand extreme physical stress, including typhoon conditions.
* Based on average annual use of 3,600kWh per household. Source: Federation of Electric Power Companies of Japan
Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO)(TOKYO:6971), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as “advanced ceramics”). By combining these engineered materials with metals and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of electronic components, printers, copiers, solar power generating systems, mobile phones, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2014, the company’s net sales totaled 1.45 trillion yen (approx. USD14.1 billion). Kyocera appears on the latest listing of the “Top 100 Global Innovators” by Thomson Reuters, and is ranked #531 on Forbes magazine’s current “Global 2000” listing of the world’s largest publicly traded companies.
Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation (TOKYO:8439) was launched in 2009 through the merger of the former Century Leasing System, Inc. and the former Tokyo Leasing Co., Ltd. Century Tokyo Leasing is one of the leading companies in the industry, operating in four business segments, Equipment Leasing, Specialty Financing (including environmental and energy business), Automobile Financing and International Business. Century Tokyo Leasing enjoys the support of a strong line-up of shareholders, including Mizuho Financial Group and ITOCHU Corporation. As of the year ended March 31, 2014, the company's consolidated operating assets reached total of 2.6 trillion yen (approx. USD25.7 billion), and the company's market capitalization stood at 308 billion yen (approx. USD3 billion).
