nuclear-news

Solar energy panels designed specifically for Japanese roofs

Global Solar Energy Brings Powerful Building Integrated Solar to Japan’s Growing Renewable Energy Market, Clean Technica, JULY 24, 2012 BY NICHOLAS BROWN Global Solar Energy Incorporated, a manufacturer of flexible solar panels, has announced that it is entering the Japanese solar market with flexible solar panels that are designed specifically for Japanese roofs.
These flexible solar panels are called PowerFLEX BIPV. BIPV stands
for Building Integrated Photovoltaics.
Photovoltaic solar panels are the most common type of solar panels
(apart from solar thermal water heaters, which are not electric but
use the sun’s heat to directly heat water). Solar PV converts sunlight
into electricity using semiconductor materials.
On July 1st, Japan’s new FiT (Feed-in Tariff) program went into
effect. This FiT program is progressive, as it requires utilities to
pay 42 yen or $0.52 USD per kWh of solar electricity generated for 20
years from solar plants that are larger than 10 kW.
This high $0.52 rate makes it much more attractive to set up solar
power plants, because there can be a lot of money to be made off that
guaranteed price. Researchers estimate that this could foster a solar
market of $9.6 billion (or 3.2 GW)….. “Recognizing the desire of
many Japanese businesses to reap the benefits of the FIT program while
also maintaining the aesthetics of their buildings, Global Solar
offers an alternative to traditional heavy and rigid glass modules, as
well as other flexible PV products,”
Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1iUcj)

July 25, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | decentralised, Japan