News Releases

Toshiba Awarded Major Order for Mega Solar Power Generation Project By Hokuriku Electric Power Company

19 Oct, 2010

TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502) today announced that it has won a major contract to develop mega solar photovoltaic power generation project for Hokuriku Electric Power Company (TOKYO: 9505), under which a Toshiba's system will be installed in the Toyama Photovoltaic Power Station. When completed, the plant will have a generating capacity of approximately 1 MW. The order is the sixth that Toshiba has secured for a multi-MW solar photovoltaic project, and follows an order won earlier this month for the Fukuyama Solar Power Plant from The Chugoku Electric Power Co., Inc.

Construction of the Toyama Photovoltaic Power Station will start this month, and it  is scheduled to come on line in February, 2011. The plant will have an annual capacity of approximately 1 million kWh, sufficient to generate electricity for approximately 250 households.

Toshiba was selected as prime contractor for development of the plant, and will be responsible for all engineering work prior to the start of construction, the procurement of major equipment and components, and plant construction. The variable output of the photovoltaic cells will be converted to clean AC by integrated 250kW output power conditioners developed by Toshiba Group. A conversion efficiency of 97.5% assures that the power conditioners are the world most efficient in their class, and the industry's highest class for power conditioners installed in a mega solar photovoltaic project.[1] The plant will also be equipped with highly efficient multi-crystal photovoltaic modules from Kyocera Corporation.

Driven by a growing awareness of the need to counteract global warming, the global market for solar photovoltaic systems for utilities and industrial plants is expected to reach 2.2 trillion yen in fiscal year 2015. In this environment, Toshiba is drawing on its extensive experience in system integration, particularly in system technology for high efficiency photovoltaic inverters and microgrids and in deploying large plant system engineering capabilities, to promote the growth of its photovoltaic systems business.

Toshiba Group will aim to secure further contracts for multi-MW PV projects and to achieve a rapid expansion of the business, both in Japan and overseas, by focusing on renewable energy and energy-saving products and technologies.

[1]
As of October, 2010, for 250kW output power conditioners.

Outline of Toyama Photovoltaic Power Station Facility

- Location: Kami-kutsuwada and environs, Fuchu-machi, Toyama city, Toyama prefecture
- Photovoltaic power output: Approx. 1 MW
- Estimated power generation: Approx. 1 million kWh
- Estimated equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions: Approx. 300 tons a year

Artist's Impression of the Photovoltaic Power Station in Toyama
Photovoltaic Power Station Facility

 

Image of Artist's Impression of the Photovoltaic Power Station in Toyama Photovoltaic Power Station Facility