Sanyo has announced completion of two Sanyo HIT solar panel powered parking lots for electric bicycles and provision of 100 of its Eneloop hybrid bikes in Setagaya, Tokyo Japan.
The bicycle parking lots are operated by the city of Setagaya at Keio Line Sakurajosui Station and Tokyu Den-en Toshi Line Sakurashinmachi Station
7.56kW of Sanyo HIT solar panels covering approximately 46m2 are installed on the roof of each lot for the purposes of generating sufficient power to recharge the batteries of a total of 100 “eneloop bike” units and to also illuminate the LED parking lot lights.
The Sanyo HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer) solar panel comprises a thin monocrystalline silicon wafer encased in ultra-thin amorphous silicon layers. Sanyo states cell efficiency of up to 20.2% and an overall module efficiency of over 17.7%.
The Sanyo HIT solar panel was the first hybrid solar module to be available in a Australia and is a popular choice in home solar power systems; not only for its high efficiency, but small footprint that allows for more solar electricity to be generated from a smaller roof space area.
Electricity generated by the parking lot systems is stored in lithium-ion battery battery banks that also feature AC power outlets for powering external equipment during an emergency.
The Eneloop bike is Sanyo’s electric hybrid bicycle featuring a regenerative charging function that enables electricity generation and battery charging during riding. The Eneloop bikes will be used as community bicycles by people residing in and outside Setagaya.
Sanyo says it is rapidly expanding its energy solution business through offering Smart Energy Systems (SES); combining technologies for energy creation in the form of solar panels, energy storage in deep cycle batteries and electricity savings through energy efficient equipment. The installation of its “Solar Parking Lots” is a part of this SES initiative.
