Sharp Energy Solution Europe is investing AUD $8.43 million dollars (current exchange rates) to build two solar farms for energy providers in Germany. Both megawatt projects will use approximately 17,000 Sharp silicon-based thin-film solar panels.
With an anticipated 2.1 million kilowatt hours of solar electricity generated annually, each solar farm will supply 600 households and save 1,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Sharp brought the world’s largest thin film solar cell factory online in March 2010 in Sakai, increasing its solar panel production capacity to 870 megawatts. In the future, Sharp intends to produce thin film cells in Sakai in a microamorphous triple-junction structure and boost production capacity to 1,000 megawatts.
Sharp says it was the first manufacturer of microamorphous thin-film modules and was the third-largest player on the global market in 2009. The company says it has increased its turnover by nearly 33 percent to US$ 2.214 billion.
Sharp solar panels are a popular choice in Australia for home solar power installations. The company has been active in solar cell manufacturing for over 50 years and has produced over 2.5 gigawatts of solar cells to date, making it the world’s largest photovoltaics manufacturer. Aside from providing products that generate clean electricity, Sharp has made environmental protection an integral part of its corporate culture through energy efficient plants, along with responsible recycling; and aims to significantly reduce both direct and indirect carbon dioxide emissions in its operations and products.
