Global Solar Energy Brings Powerful Building Integrated Solar to Japan’s Growing Renewable Energy Market

July 24th, 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.

Global Solar Energy PowerFLEX BIPV Rooftop Installation on Yokosuka U.S. Naval Base in Japan (Photo: Business Wire)

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).

“With its recent FIT program and proven dedication to integrating more renewable energy into its utilities’ portfolio mix, Japan will prove to be one of the most important markets for solar in the coming years,” said Jean-Noel Poirier, Chief Sales Officer, Global Solar Energy. “With our highly-valued partners, Global Solar is well positioned to take advantage of the market growth and bring our powerful and cost-effective PowerFLEX BIPV solar solution to more rooftops around Japan.”

The PowerFLEX BIPV modules achieve 12.6% aperture efficiency, which is relatively high for flexible solar panels.

Solar panels of this type can be installed with no mounting hardware, and can be more seamlessly integrated into a building.

“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,” continued Poirier.

Source: Global Solar

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Tags: BIPV, Building Integrated Photovoltaics, global solar, Japan, Japan FiT, japan solar, PowerFLEX BIPV

About the Author

Nicholas Brown writes on CleanTechnica, Gas2, Kleef&Co, and Green Building Elements. He has a keen interest in physics-intensive topics such as electricity generation, refrigeration and air conditioning technology, energy storage, and geography. His website is: Kompulsa.com.

Anne

I am afraid the $0.52 is a total anachronism. A boom-bust scenario is virtually inevitable. The high profit margins will provide ammo for the naysayers that will accuse the government of handing out tax money for free.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=667155902 Pedro Renquinha Dias

I’m puzzled with your comment:
“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).”

What are the other types of solar panels, besides PV and solar thermal?
- Anne
  
  CSP might be considered a 3rd type. It is true it also heats a substance, but that is just an intermediary step. The end goal is to generate electricity.
  
  A 4th type that I can think of is direct hydrogen production through photolysis: http://www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/adv_materials.html#photoelectrochemical
  But I am not aware of any real products, it is lab technology.
LarchOye

That’s one way to do it, I guess…

A better plan would be to garner up significant investment from people who are willing to give it ~10 years to come to fruition.

In that case, you do it just like anyone else in any other business- Undercut the Competition! If say, I were selling solar power to individuals / businesses / the grid right now- for $.95 cents on the dollar, would YOU buy it?

OF COURSE YOU WOULD!!