Solar Frontier announced today it has provided its
CIS solar panels for a “solar sharing” experiment on Sado Island,
Niigata Prefecture, Japan. “Solar sharing” in Japan refers to the practice of
using the same plot of land to simultaneously grow crops and generate
solar power. In such cases, solar panels are installed high above the
crops and spaced further apart than usual, enabling sufficient sunlight
to pass through and farmers to work below. This business model has been
gradually spreading across Japan, helping farmers earn additional income
by selling electricity.
Advancing this experiment is the University of
Tokyo’s IR3S (Integrated Research System for Sustainability Science). It
aims to evaluate the potential economic impact of solar sharing on Sado
Island, where the population is both declining and ageing. It is doing
so as part of a broader project, which looks at using renewable energy
and maximizing natural resources to achieve a low-carbon society and
help revitalize communities.
Solar Frontier has provided 10 kilowatts of its lightweight Solacis neo CIS
solar panels for this experiment. In real-world conditions, CIS solar
panels yield more electricity than crystalline silicon panels, including
areas that receive lower levels of sunlight such as Sado Island. Today,
this is being demonstrated by installations such as the Niigata Yukiguni Megasolar Power Plant, connected in 2010 in Niigata Prefecture, as well as smaller projects such as Gakko Gura (“school cellar”), a Japanese sake brewery that re-uses the building of a former elementary school on Sado Island.
Solar Frontier’s solar panels have been installed
facing south at a low inclination angle of 13.5 degrees, and are
expected to generate approximately 11,000kWh per year. The solar panels
have also been installed 2 meters high, enabling the farmer to tend to
his crop. In this particular case, it has started with a round of
broccoli which will be followed by a range of seasonal vegetables as the
year progresses. As a result, the test will provide data on
light-shielding rates and crop yield for the Washizaki district, an area
with relatively difficult farming conditions.
The installation and crops are being managed by the
“Association for Developing Sado Starting from Washizaki”. Mr. Taro
Honma, president of the association, is the producer of Umi no Kome (Rice
of the Sea), a brand of rice that won the Sushi Rice Special Award at
the Sushi Rice Contest International Tournament in 2015. He is also a
practitioner of a completely organic farming method that helps protect
the Japanese crested ibis, a rare species of bird in the region. Solar Frontier will continue to focus on
collaborating with industry, academia and government, utilizing its CIS
thin-film modules to promote distributed energy generation initiatives
rooted in local regions.
About Solar Frontier
Solar Frontier is the world’s largest provider of CIS
solar panels, system solutions and services. Our solar panel technology
delivers economical and environmental advantages in real-world
conditions – where it counts - and our solutions range from innovative
rooftop systems to professional power plant development services. We
harness the power of the sun to provide a cleaner, more comfortable life
for all. Solar Frontier K.K. is, a 100% owned subsidiary of
Showa Shell Sekiyu K.K. (TYO:5002) (“Solar Frontier”) and is
headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Visit http://www.solar-frontier.com/eng/ or follow us on Twitter or LinkedIn.
About IR3S
IR3S (The University of Tokyo Integrated Research
System for Sustainability Science) was founded in 2005 within the
University of Tokyo with a vision of building a sustainable society
through linking global, social and human systems. Showa Shell Sekiyu
K.K., the parent company of Solar Frontier K.K., has been working
together with IR3S in pursuing sustainability of energy, aiming to
develop a sustainable social system. As a specific activity for this
purpose, IR3S works on social implementation engineering research aimed
at enabling self-sustainability of local energy, by promoting energy
conservation while making the most of natural resources including
renewable energy, in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture
http://buyersguide.renewableenergyworld.com/solar-frontier-americas-inc/pressrelease/university-of-tokyo-tests-solar-sharing-on-sado-island-with-solar-frontiers-cis-solar-panels.html
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