During the PV Expo 2013 in Tokyo last week, ISOFOTON was able to connect with many international developers. The event is part of the World Smart Energy Week, and was the first since the feed-in-tariff went into effect. Attendance grew substantially this year with 1,890 exhibitors and more than 125,000 visitors from 65 countries, and it was a lively and useful business platform. At a time when many European countries have cut back support for renewable technologies, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has made strong efforts to increase the use of renewable power generation and reduce dependence on atomic energy. Before the Fukushima nuclear meltdown in 2011, atomic plants provided about 30 percent of Japan’s power.
Japanese banks have started to lend to foreign renewable power plant developers, and there are opportunities to enter the Japanese market, which was previously dominated by Japanese firms. ISOFOTON already took part in its first mega solar project in Japan. We partnered with five other companies to jointly invest in installing a 1.25MW PV plant in Ube Techno Park that was completed earlier this year. We see this as just the beginning of the enormous potential for ISOFOTON’s solar solutions in Japan and we continue to position ourselves for growth in the market.
ISOFOTON to make a full-scale entry into Japan´s Mega PV market
Spanish PV maker, ISOFOTON (HQ in Madrid, Angel Luis Serrano, President and CEO) announced that it will make a full-scale entry into Japan market with its mega-solar projects. This year the company plans to develop projects of 2,000kW in Hiroshima, which is a total of 3,600KW worth of PV projects. The power generated in Ibaraki is planned to be sold to TEPCO, with 42yen/kWh FIT since was contracted before April.
By 2014, ISOFOTON also plans to develop over 20,000kW by doing several projects of 2,000kW scale in over 10 locations. It will also sell 24,000kW of its PV sell models produced in Malaga in Japan.
The company established its Japan branch in March 2012 as ISOFOTON Japan LLC. Together with its partner, clean Venture 21, it sells residential solar modules. For industrial use, from November 2012, it has partnered with several integrators and completed the Ube Techno Park in Yamaguchi with generating capability of 1,344kW.
ISOFOTON has its production line in Malaga, Spain, and in Ohio, U.S. producting over 280.000KW worth of PV panels, and sells in over 60 countries worldwide.
Natural Energy: Spanish company to build 44MW worth of mega-solar in multiple locations in Japan which may become a mega-solar hunting ground for global corporations due to its favorable FIT. A German
corporation announced its plans to develop a total of 9 projects worth 945MW. And now, a Spanish corporation announced its plans to develop over 44MW in the next 2 years. It looks like Japan’s 42 yen FIT for mega-solar is an attractive deal for foreign entities. While prices of solar modules, power conditioners are becoming indifferent all around, FIT is double in
difference with Europe with advanced FIT regulations and that of Japan. In conclusion, for companies, Japan is a profitable market compared to Europe. ISOFOTON on April 18th, announced its mega-solar project plans.
Their project scale is grand. The company plans to develop over 44MW of mega-solar in Japan between 2013 and 2014, in which 24MW through sales of modules, and rest by developing several projects of 2MW in scale,
totaling 20 MW.* Two projects are already materializing with its locations identified. One is in Ibaraki, a 2MW mega-solar. The electricity generated is planned to be sold to TEPCO with 42 yen FIT. The project will begin starting from Q4 of 2013. ISOFOTON also has a plan to develop a project in Hiroshima, a 1.6MW mega-solar. ISOFOTON established its Japan branch in 2012, and currently sells residential modules. It was also involved with a project in Yamaguchi prefecture with 5 other partners to develop the Ube Techno Park, a 1.344 MW mega-solar, which just completed construction in the beginning of 2013.
