Utility-scale solar power plant owned and operated by Mitsui & Co., Ltd. goes online to support reconstruction effort
Kyoto/Neuss – September 30, 2013 – Kyocera Corporation announced that it has supplied 3.6 megawatts (MW) of polycrystalline solar modules for the Okumatsushima “Kizuna” Solar Park in Higashi-Matsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Construction of the utility-scale solar power plant owned and operated by Mitsui & Co., Ltd. was recently completed and the plant went online in August.
The city of Higashi-Matsushima was among the areas most extensively damaged by the tsunami of March 2011, and this solar power plant was built as part of the reconstruction effort. The word kizuna means “bond” in Japanese, and has become a symbol of the bonds of friendship and solidarity which the Japanese people and those around the world showed for each other following the earthquake and tsunami which ravaged northeastern Japan in 2011. Kizuna Solar Park not only signifies hope for a clean, sustainable society, but also the restoration and development of the local community.
With more than 38 years of experience in the solar industry, Kyocera provides high-quality solar modules and stability in product supply – a key reason why the company’s solar power generating systems are currently being used in a large number of commercial- and public-use projects around Japan. Kyocera was selected to supply modules for this project based on its reputation for high-quality and high-reliability solar modules.
By supplying solar modules for Kizuna Solar Park, Kyocera aims to help further promote the use of renewable energy and also to contribute to the betterment of the environment and society.
Project Overview
Name Okumatsushima “Kizuna” Solar Park
Location Higashi-Matsushima City,
Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
Groundbreaking January 2013
Start of operations August 21, 2013
Operator Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
For more information about Kyocera Solar Energy: www.kyocerasolar.eu
About Kyocera
Headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, Kyocera Corporation is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fine ceramic components for the technology industry. The strategically important divisions in the Kyocera Group, which is comprised of 228 subsidiaries (as of April 1, 2013), are information and communications technologies, products which increase quality of life, and environmentally friendly products. The technology group is also one of the largest producers of solar energy systems worldwide, with more than 3,0 gigawatts of solar power having been installed around the world to date.
The company is ranked #492 on Forbes magazine’s 2013 “Global 2000” listing of the world’s largest publicly traded companies.
With a global workforce of about 71,000 employees, Kyocera posted net sales of approximately €10.58 billion in fiscal year 2012/2013. The products marketed by the company in Europe include laser printers, digital copying systems, microelectronic components, fineceramic products and complete solar power systems. The Kyocera Group has two independent companies in the Federal Republic of Germany: Kyocera Fineceramics GmbH in Neuss and Esslingen and Kyocera Document Solutions in Meerbusch.
The company also takes an active interest in cultural affairs. The Kyoto Prize, a prominent international award, is presented each year by the Inamori Foundation — established by Kyocera founder Dr. Kazuo Inamori — to individuals and groups worldwide who have contributed significantly to the scientific, cultural, and spiritual betterment of humankind (converted at present €400,000 per prize category).
