Sharp Adds to Solar Cell Production Line

Solar Cell Production Capacity to be Expanded to 710 MW Per Year, the World's Highest

Sharp Corporation will increase annual production capacity for solar cells at its Katsuragi Plant in Nara Prefecture by 110 MW (megawatts) from March 2007 to meet burgeoning demand in Japan and abroad. As a result, solar cell production capacity at the Katsuragi Plant will reach 710 MW per year, the world's highest.

With the call for new forms of energy growing in line with concerns over global environmental issues, major European countries like Italy, Spain, and France have set up electricity purchasing systems modeled after an already successful system in Germany. Consequently, the demand for solar cells is greatly expanding, mainly for industrial and electric power use.

Sharp will continue to develop highly efficient solar cells and improve productivity while securing a stable procurement of silicon raw material for solar cells. Sharp will keep expanding its solar energy business, which holds tremendous potential as a source of clean energy - Sharp.