Kyocera Solar, Inc. (NYSE:KYO) announced plans to begin manufacturing solar modules in the US.
Manufacturing will begin in San Diego, California, at Kyocera’s
Balboa Avenue facility during the first half of 2010, with an initial
production target of 30 megawatts (MW) per year.
Kyocera’s has set a goal of producing 1,000 MW of solar cells per year (equal to one gigawatt) globally by March 2013. 1000 MW in capacity would be enough to provide 3.5-kilowatt solar-electric systems for about 285,000 homes each year.
Solar energy has become one of Kyocera’s fastest-growing businesses
globally, with the company expecting to double its production of solar
cells in the two fiscal years from 2009 to 2011. In addition to the
operations coming to San Diego, Kyocera currently has solar module
manufacturing facilities in Japan, China, the Czech Republic and Mexico.
Kyocera Corporation was founded in 1959 as a producer of advanced ceramics. By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera Corporation has become a supplier of solar electric generating systems, telecommunications equipment, copiers, printers, electronic components, semiconductor packages, cutting tools and industrial ceramics.
During the year ended March 31, 2009, the company’s net sales totaled 1.13 trillion yen (approximately US$11.5 billion). Kyocera marked its 50th anniversary in 2009, and the 40th anniversary of its U.S. operations. It is ranked #418 on Forbes magazine’s 2009 “Global 2000” listing of the world’s largest publicly traded corporations.
Kyocera Group companies currently employ approximately 4,000 people in the United States.
California recently announced additional clean energy manufacturing incentives.
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