Panasonic will Invest 45 Billion Yen in New Solar Wafer Plant. Malaysia
Panasonic Corporation PC today announced its plan to establish a company in Malaysia that will serve as Panasonic’s new solar manufacturing base. Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., to be set up in December 2011, will operate a vertically-integrated solar manufacturing facility producing from wafers to cells and modules. Panasonic will invest 45 billion yen in the facility, which will start operation in December 2012 with an annual production capacity of 300 MW.
With environmental awareness increasing globally and introduction of subsidy systems and Feed-in Tariff schemes in Japan as well as other countries, etc., the solar cell market is predicted to grow further. Robust demand is expected particularly in the residential sector, the main target of the Panasonic HIT(R) (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) solar modules. The new factory, to be built in the Kulim Hi-Tech Park in Kedah, will not only help Panasonic meet this growing demand, but also strengthen the HIT module’s cost-competitiveness with the vertically-integrated production.
Panasonic will sell its solar modules as an individual product as well as part of a system combined with storage batteries. Further, as part of its comprehensive solutions business, which is built on capacities brought together across the Panasonic group companies, Panasonic will accelerate its solar business development globally.
Outline of the New Company
- Company Name: Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
- Location: Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah, Malaysia
- Establishment: December 2011 (production
- scheduled to start in December 2012)
- Capital: 22.5 billion yen
- Capital Subscription: Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. 100%
- Outline of Business: Production of HIT® solar modules
- (integrated
- production of wafers, cells and modules)
- Building Area: Approx. 70,000 m(2)
- Number of Employees: Approx. 1,500
- Annual Production Capacity: 300MW
About Panasonic Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 8.69 trillion yen (US$105 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2011. The company’s shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York PC -1.97% stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company’s website at https://panasonic.net/
SOURCE: Panasonic Corporation
Tags: kulim hi tech park, panasonic corporation, residential sector, solar asia, solar jobs, solar malaysia, solar manufacturingcomprehensive solutions, solar plant, tariff schemes, wafers
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