Fuji Electric Systems Strengthens Photovoltaic Power System Business

Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd. (FES), whose President and Representative Director is Mitsunori Shirakura, announced today that as of March 1, 2009, it had set up Photovoltaic Power Business Project Group which takes care of the entire process of engineering, producing and marketing solar cells. By integrating all internal solar cell resources, FES will strengthen the organization of its photovoltaic power business and reinforce its marketing capabilities.

The Ministry of the Environment of the government of Japan estimates that a total of up to 37 million kW can be generated annually by photovoltaic power generation systems in Japan before 2020, by implementing measures to encourage the construction of such power generation systems. This is 26 times the amount of solar power generated in Japan in 2005.

The shipment of solar cells in Japan in 2008 increased 36% over the previous year to a total of 1.15 million kW. That figure is expected to grow even larger in the future with the resumption of a government subsidy scheme this spring.

In the weeks and months ahead FES will strengthen its product portfolio by introducing the high-efficiency power conditioners which use newly developed power semiconductors and secondary cells, in addition to solar cells. By leveraging its unique, superior products and technologies as well as its engineering capabilities, FES will provide its customers with higher efficiency photovoltaic power generation systems. Furthermore, FES will extend its business reach to distributed power network systems, including Smart Grids. To achieve this, FES will not only capitalize on its established grid connection technology but also offer systems that balance the demand and supply of electric power in power generation systems which use unstable resources such as solar and wind power.

Aiming to accelerate and bolster its photovoltaic power business, FES has set up a new organization called Photovoltaic Power Business Project Group which includes a strengthened marketing function, the engineering function of the production process and the Kumamoto plant, which produces solar cells. This new organization will allow FES to provide comprehensive services for photovoltaic power generation systems for social infrastructure and industry market segments both in and outside Japan. The existing sales organization will continue to carry out sales activities for photovoltaic power generation systems.

In addition to solar cells and systems and peripherals, FES will also focus on the development of the semiconductors used in peripherals, such as reverse-blocking IBGTs, by using resources within the Fuji Electric Group.

Solar cell production system
	FES will further improve its production methods for film-substrate solar cells by enhancing its proprietary production method and forging strategic alliances with facility manufacturers.
Solar cell evaluation system
	FES will develop evaluation systems for solar cells by making use of the technologies accumulated at its subsidiaries through the development of evaluation equipment for optical semiconductor devices.

1.	Solar cell development
	FES will focus on research and development to improve the conversion efficiency of its a-Si thin-film solar cells, aiming to increase it from the current 8% to 10% in two years.
2.	Peripheral development
	FES has successfully completed the development of high-efficiency power conditioners based on the reliable technology it has acquired through the development of inverters and uninterruptible power systems. FES’s next focus will be on development of new topology power conditioners which use newly developed, low-capacity power semiconductors produced with SiC (silicon carbide). Their development is scheduled to be completed in 2009. Furthermore, the following system technologies will also be commercialized: a hybrid power stabilization technology using capacitors and batteries, which has been successfully tested at FES wind power generation plants; a real-time power balancing control via high-speed IT networks; and a loss minimization technology for power systems. These products will be marketed globally, together with FWAVE, FES’s flexible and light-weight film-substrate solar cell, specifically to North America and Europe, where the adoption of solar power systems is expected to rapidly advance with the introduction of RPS laws (special measures for the utilization of new energy through electric utility enterprises), and to China.
3.	Development of component products using solar cells
	In addition to the currently available metal rooftop integrated modules, building wall integrated modules and aluminum frame modules will also be developed. To further leverage the lightness of FWAVE, new ways of applying the film-substrate solar cell are being discussed, including integrating it into building materials in sheet form.

Operation Dept.
Photovoltaic Power Business Project Group
Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd.
Tel. +81-3-5435-7285