3 April 2012

CIS PV firm Solar Frontier and Japan Asia Group sign MOU for solar energy project promotion

Tokyo-based Solar Frontier (a subsidiary of Japanese energy business Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K.), which makes CIS (copper indium selenium) thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solar modules, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with solar project developer Japan Asia Group Ltd (JAG) to cooperate on promoting solar power businesses in Japan. By integrating project development, construction, sales and maintenance, the firms will work together with cooperating construction contractors to provide value-added solar power plant solutions and services.

Solar Frontier plans to provide products and services including consultation on project planning, CIS solar module supply, and sourcing of balance-of-systems equipment for JAG on projects it is handling that total over 100MW (enough to power 30,000 Japanese households). The agreement applies to an overall operation framework, and individual projects will be negotiated going forward.

“Japan Asia Group’s subsidiary, Kokusai Kogyo Co Ltd, worked with Solar Frontier to develop and operate the 1MW Tsuno No.2 Solar Power Plant in Miyazaki,” says JAG’s chairman Tetsuo Yamashita. “Solar Frontier’s CIS modules delivered much higher power output than expected at that installation. This MOU is in recognition of the excellent performance of Solar Frontier’s CIS modules,” he adds.

JAG has a much experience in utility-scale projects in Japan and around the world and strong ties to local projects in Japan, says Solar Frontier's president & CEO Shigeaki Kameda. “Solar Frontier’s panels are manufactured entirely in Japan. Through cooperation with leading companies like this, we will be able to deliver our economically compelling CIS thin-film solar modules to customers in Japan and around the world,” he adds.

Solar Frontier says that it has proven its CIS technology in terms of overall output through ‘megasolar’ installations, including the recently announced 100+MW Catalina project in California, USA, and the 10MW Komekurayama plant in Yamanashi and the 1MW Yukigunigata project in Niigata, Japan.

Tags: Solar Frontier CIS thin-film PV modules

Visit: www.solar-frontier.com