Photovoltaic Power Generation

Toshiba Group will contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions by providing photovoltaic power generation systems that achieve high levels of efficiency and long-term stability to a wide range of facilities, including power plants, factories and homes.

Mega Solar System Made Possible by Total Engineering

As more and more countries across the world show an interest in climate change, photovoltaic power generation, which uses clean solar energy and produces electricity without emitting CO₂, attracts more attention as an efficient means of mitigating climate change. Plans to develop large-scale commercial and industrial systems for photovoltaic power generation have been announced both in Japan and overseas, and the size of the market for photovoltaic power generation is expected to continue to increase in the future.

In January 2009, Toshiba Group established a headquarters for the photovoltaic power generation system business in order to enhance its organizational structure. By using its comprehensive engineering skills acquired through the development of large-scale plants, Toshiba Group offers a full range of services, from installing solar battery modules to establishing connection to power supply networks, by total engineering that includes analysis, design and construction in order to provide mega solar systems that achieve the highest levels of efficiency and long-term stability.

A photovoltaic power generation system needs to convert DC electricity generated by sunlight into AC electricity. Therefore, it is of crucial importance to create an efficient system designed to minimize conversion loss. Toshiba provides a power conditioning system (for use in Japan; rated as having an output capacity of 500 kW) that achieves the industry's highest level of efficiency*, 97.7% (when used at 50% of its rated capacity), thereby improving power conversion efficiency.

*

According to our internal data as of June 2011

Mega Solar Systems for Electric Power Companies

We are striving to develop and commercialize high-efficiency power generation systems by using our skills in building solar battery modules in combination with related systems in accordance with purposes and usage environments. We also design an optimal layout of a large number of solar battery modules by analyzing various factors, including wind conditions during the installation of solar battery modules, the design of the base framework for solar panels, construction plans, transportation systems and construction methods, in order to minimize the construction costs of mega solar systems. In August 2009, Toshiba Corp. concluded a contract for the development of Chubu Electric Power Company's Taketoyo Mega Solar Power Plant. Including this contract, as of November 2010 we have seven contracts with electric power companies for mega solar systems (total output capacity approximately 25 MW). We have also delivered photovoltaic power generation equipment to more than 100 public and industrial facilities, thereby contributing to reducing CO₂ emissions through our promotion of photovoltaic power for power supply and industrial use.

High Efficiency Solar Panels for Homes

Toshiba Corp. entered the residential solar photovoltaic power generation system business in April 2010. Since the release of its first model, Toshiba's solar battery modules for homes have increased module conversion efficiency to the highest level in the industry* (16.9%) by taking in sunlight efficiently even when placed on Japanese houses' small roofs and by maximizing power generation output. While conventional solar battery modules have electrodes on the cell surface, Toshiba adopted a back-contact method and placed all electrodes on the back of a panel so as to reduce the loss of light caused by reflection and to improve power generation efficiency. Toshiba's solar battery modules, which do not have electrodes on their surface, are also designed to be slim and have a sophisticated appearance. To expand our product lineup, we have also released a photovoltaic power generation system with storage batteries intended for new houses. We will further promote photovoltaic power generation with solar battery modules designed with even better conversion efficiency.

*

According to our internal data as of June 2011

• Toshiba Photovoltaic Systems (A separate window will open.)