Trend: The demand for solar energy systems continues to grow in spite of dips in the price of oil.
GreenBiz News reports that Sharp Electronics is doubling the capacity of its Welsh photovoltaic plant. Excerpts below.
Link: GreenBiz News | Sharp Electronics Doubles Capacity of Welsh Photovoltaic Plant
WREXHAM, Wales, Feb. 7, 2007 -- Sharp Electronics is doubling the size of its photovoltaic solar panel plant in this northern Welsh town to meet soaring demand for solar energy systems across Europe. The company announced an investment of approximately $18.2 million in its Wales facility.
Production capacity will be doubled and the existing 110 Megawatts (MW) capacity will be expanded to 220MW. This expansion will make the facility one of the largest PV solar module plants in the world," Sharp said in a statement. The Wrexham plant was opened in 2004 with an annual capacity of 20MW.
Sharp is one of the world's largest producers of photovoltaic panels, which convert sunlight into electricity.
The Sharp Corporation has a long history of involvement in the solar power industry -- beginning research and development in solar energy in 1959 and commencing the mass production of solar cells in 1963.
