Toshiba enters domestic solar power market

Toshiba Corp., in collaboration with SunPowerCorp (US), will be selling monocrystal Silicon-type solar energy crystal modules for residential solar battery systems from 1 April 2010. Toshiba said that it decided to start the residential solar battery system to help promote their all-electric or smart-grid businesses. In the future, Toshiba plans to sell its solar battery systems with second-generation Li-ion batteries (SCiB) combined with “smart meters”. The residential solar battery systems that Toshiba plans to sell will have solar battery modules, power conditioners (power conversion efficiency of 94%), and color monitors, all supplied by out-sourced suppliers.

SolarPower’s most recent solar cell battery modules (SPR-210N-WHT-J) are able to convert power at 21.5% efficiency, making them the world’s highest quality solar cells.

Monocrystal Silicon cells, together with back-mounted electrodes, increases the amount of the light converting surface. The module conversion efficiency rate is 16.9%, giving the modules a maximum power output of 210 W. The advantage of back-contact construction isn't only the increase in power conversion efficiency; there is also no electrode attached to the cell’s surface. Experts in solar battery design point to the surface placement of electrodes as being a weak point, and this new design resolves that issue.

Introducing SunPower’s solar battery modules to the domestic Japanese market in large numbers, gives Toshiba a significant strategic advantage. Up to now, the only high efficiency solar power conversion units on the domestic market were Sanyo’s HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer) units.

Many articles have reported on the rivalry between Sanyo and SunPower in reporting the highest conversion rates at scientific conferences. Kyocera has also been working on back-contact polycrystal Silicon solar batteries, and is in the process of finalizing their sales launch for their new products.

Toshiba Corp. plans to have a 10% share of the domestic market by 2012.

Reported from 1 March Nikkei Tech