KYOTO, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Kyocera Corporation, K.K. GAIA POWER, Kyudenko Corporation and Tokyo Century Corporation announced today that Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills LLC, a solar power operating company jointly established by the four companies, has launched construction of a 92-megawatt (MW) solar power plant. Located on a site stretching across Kanoya City and Osaki Town in Kagoshima Prefecture, the project will become one of the largest*1 solar installations in the Kyushu region of Japan spanning across approximately 494 acres (2,000,000m2), making it almost the same size as the country Monaco. A ceremony was held on April 27 to commemorate the plant’s groundbreaking.
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Rendering of the Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills Solar Power Plant (Graphic: Business Wire)
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Project Overview |
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| Project name | Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills Solar Power Plant | |
| Location | Kanoya City and Osaki Town in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan | |
| Output | Approx. 92MW | |
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Expected annual power |
Approx. 99,230MWh/year Electricity generated will provide the equivalent power for roughly 33,370 average households*2. |
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| Solar modules |
340,740 Kyocera modules (planned) |
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| Total investment | Approx. 35 billion yen (approx. USD315 million*3) | |
| Project timeline |
April 3, 2017: Start of construction |
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Project planning began in January 2014, as the local community expressed interest in repurposing land that was designated for a golf course more than 30 years ago but subsequently abandoned. The site plan will accommodate 340,740 Kyocera solar modules and is expected to generate roughly 99,230MWh annually — enough electricity to power approximately 33,370 typical households, offsetting roughly 52,940 tons of CO2 emissions per year*4.
Under the agreement, Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills LLC will operate the business, and a consortium established by Kyudenko and Gaia Power is undertaking the design, construction and maintenance of the solar installation. Kyocera is supplying its high-efficiency solar modules and Tokyo Century is responsible for the finance arrangement. Approximately 35 billion yen (approx. USD315 million) in investment is planned for the project, with a goal to begin operations in January 2020.
The massive installation is expected to contribute to the local community through job creation and increase of tax revenues in Kanoya City and Osaki Town. In addition to obtaining forestland development permission, a year-long environmental impact assessment has been completed for the large-scale project. Furthermore, the plant will feature an environmentally friendly design by minimizing land development. The companies will continually work with Kagoshima Prefecture, Kanoya City, Osaki Town and other members of the community to complete construction, and they remain committed to promoting renewable energy as well as contributing to environmental protection and the creation of a sustainable society.
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Company Overview |
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| Company name | Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills LLC | |
| Location | Kanoya City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan | |
| Established | May 27, 2014 | |
| Shareholders |
K.K. GAIA POWER: 72.7% |
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Role of Participating Companies |
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| Business operation | Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills LLC | |
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Design, construction and |
Consortium established by Kyudenko Corporation and K.K. GAIA POWER | |
| Supply of solar modules | Kyocera Corporation | |
| Finance arrangement | Tokyo Century Corporation | |
| *1 | Among operating solar power plants. Based on research by the four companies (as of April 1, 2017) | |
| *2 | Based on average annual use of 2,973.6kWh per household. Source: Japan Atomic Energy Relations Organization (Graphical Flip-chart of Nuclear & Energy Related Topics 2016) | |
| *3 | For the reader’s convenience; based on an exchange rate of JPY111 = USD1 (as of April 26, 2017). | |
| *4 | Based on calculations derived from standards created by JPEA in 2016 | |
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 solar power generating systems, mobile phones, printers, copiers, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2016, the company’s consolidated net sales totaled 1.48 trillion yen (approx. USD13.1 billion). Kyocera appears on the “Top 100 Global Innovators” list by Clarivate Analytics and is ranked #531 on Forbes magazine’s 2016 “Global 2000” list of the world’s largest publicly traded companies.
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