Sharp is starting off business year 2010 with rising turnover in the solar industry: production expansion, strategic alliances and continued technological developments secure the company a leading role on the worldwide photovoltaic market. Sharp will be presenting microamorphous triple-junction thin-film technology, see-through modules and more at this year’s EU PVSEC in Valencia.

Sharp can tie in with the success of business year 2009 in the first quarter of 2010 as well: with over € 533 million, the technology company has increased its turnover in the solar segment by 65.7 percent in comparison with the same period last year. The share of the solar business within the overall corporation thus amounted to 7.8 percent – a value which should continue to increase on the long term: "Photovoltaics is one of our core business fields", says Peter Thiele, Executive Vice President of Sharp Energy Solution Europe. "We are investing heavily in this future technology and continue to see great potential worldwide as well as for Europe in particular. Sharp is currently expanding its production in Europe to be able to serve this important market as best as possible also in the future", Peter Thiele continues.

Production: massive investments in capacity expansion

As early as February 2011, the solar pioneer intends to double its production capacity for crystalline solar modules in Wrexham, Wales (UK), from 250 megawatts at present to 500 megawatts. Sharp will additionally be launching thin-film production in Italy with an initial capacity of 160 megawatts in a joint venture with Enel and STMicroelectronics. Sharp has already been producing thin-film modules at the world’s first gigawatt thin-film factory in Sakai since March 2010. Production capacity amounts to 160 megawatts and can be expanded to 1,000 megawatts per year.

In spite of changes to feed-in tariff conditions in important European markets, Sharp anticipates an increase in sales for the coming years as well. "It’s only a question of time as to when photovoltaics will win out and play a dominant role in power generation", says Peter Thiele. "Demand for solar solutions will also continue to increase. But it does depend on the outstanding quality and highest standards in production and products more than ever. Through massive investments, we are capable of making advances not only in efficient production, but the development of state-of-the-art technology as well, in contrast to many competitors. This secures us important competitive advantages on the long term as well."

Further developments in technology

Sharp will be presenting the future generation of thin-film technology with a triple-junction thin-film module in hall L3 booth A22 at the 25th EU PVSEV in Valencia from 6 to 9 September: two amorphous and one microcrystalline layer achieve a degree of efficiency of ten percent. In addition, the solar pioneer is exhibiting semi-transparent see-through modules with a light transmittance of 10, 20 and 30 percent. "In 2005, Sharp became the first manufacturer to put the two-layer microamorphous cell structure onto the market. In 2008, we succeeded in increasing the size of the modules while maintaining equal efficiency", says Peter Thiele. "With the semi-transparent and triple-layer modules, we are presenting thin-film innovations with which we will keep making advances in solar technology and continue to hold a leading position on the worldwide market", Thiele continues.

---

02.09.2010, Sharp Corporation (Solar Plant Sakai)

Die auf dieser Seite veröffentlichten Nachrichten unterliegen dem Urheberrecht und sind Eigentum der entsprechenden Firma bzw. der Nachrichten-Quelle. Alle Rechte sind ausdrücklich vorbehalten. Jeder Nutzer, der sich Zugang zu diesem Material zugänglich macht, tut dies zu seinem persönlichen Gebrauch und die Nutzung dieses Materials unterliegt seinem alleinigen Risiko. Die Weiterverteilung und jegliche andere gewerbliche Verwertung des vorliegenden Nachrichtenmaterials ist ausdrücklich untersagt. In den Fällen, in denen solches Nachrichtenmaterial durch eine dritte Partei beigestellt wurde, erklärt jeder Besucher sein Einverständnis, die speziellen zutreffenden Nutzungsbedingungen anzuerkennen und sie zu respektieren. Wir garantieren oder bürgen nicht für die Genauigkeit oder die Zuverlässigkeit von irgendwelchen Informationen, die in den veröffentlichten Nachrichten enthalten sind, oder auch in Webseiten auf die hier Bezug genommen wird.