Article originally published on Solar Server in July 29th 2015.
REC, the largest European brand of solar
photovoltaic (PV) panels, is showcasing excellence at Japan’s largest exhibition
of the solar industry, PV Japan in Tokyo from July 29th–31st.
With new products and solutions, new
partners and comprehensive market expertise, REC is demonstrating thought
leadership and will continue to reinforce its presence as a major player in
Japan’s solar industry, the company announced.
 |
| REC received an Intersolar Award for the recently introduced TwinPeak solar PV panel |
Renowned quality with
new products and solutions
Visitors to PV Japan 2015 will have ample opportunity to see REC’s renowned product quality close up with new products on display. With demand on quality requirements continuously increasing, the recently introduced REC TwinPeak solar panel, an Intersolar Award winner, is rated up to 280 watt peak, delivering more power output per square meter. Especially in regions such as Japan where space is at a premium, this is an important USP. The new multi crystalline series is ideal for the full range of rooftop solar applications in the growing residential, commercial, and industrial markets.
Visitors to PV Japan 2015 will have ample opportunity to see REC’s renowned product quality close up with new products on display. With demand on quality requirements continuously increasing, the recently introduced REC TwinPeak solar panel, an Intersolar Award winner, is rated up to 280 watt peak, delivering more power output per square meter. Especially in regions such as Japan where space is at a premium, this is an important USP. The new multi crystalline series is ideal for the full range of rooftop solar applications in the growing residential, commercial, and industrial markets.
To further leverage the promising
opportunities for solar energy installations in Japanese homes, REC is
introducing its SolarKit solution for the residential segment also. After the
successful launch for commercial installations in Q1, the all-in-one solar kit
provides a perfectly matched combination of REC Peak Energy solar panels,
inverter, remote controller and cables. Private solar energy enthusiasts no
longer need to worry about potential hassles of mixing and matching different
components or trying to minimize losses in energy efficiencies, the company
notes.
The new developments will be on display alongside the established REC Peak Energy Series, also as a compatible version with ZEP racking systems for residential markets in Japan. This mounting system permits faster installation and improved aesthetics. Supplemented by the REC Peak Energy 72-cell series for large commercial, industrial and utility scale installations, the range of products available demonstrates REC’s ability to address various customers’ needs in Japan.
The new developments will be on display alongside the established REC Peak Energy Series, also as a compatible version with ZEP racking systems for residential markets in Japan. This mounting system permits faster installation and improved aesthetics. Supplemented by the REC Peak Energy 72-cell series for large commercial, industrial and utility scale installations, the range of products available demonstrates REC’s ability to address various customers’ needs in Japan.
Increased solar footprint with a new partner
With WQ Inc. as a new member of the
prestigious REC Partner Program, REC is increasing its solar footprint in
Japan’s expanding residential segment. WQ Inc. has completed around 400
installations with a total capacity of 31.3 MW using over 122,000 REC
solar panels. Both companies will work together to certify REC Solar
Professionals in order to ensure excellent quality for private solar system
owners on both the product and installation levels.
REC’s increased solar footprint will be
also demonstrated by impressive solar installations. The most recent success
story is the Tomakomai Rinku Kashiwabara Power Plant with a system size of
1.7 MW.
Making efficient use of 33,600 m2 of previously unutilized land, Japan’s
NYK Trading Corporation and Nippon Container Terminal Co. Ltd. are benefiting
from a secure long-term investment as well as boosting their environmental
reputation by saving 1,337 tons of CO2 emissions every year. Another
impressive reference case on display is the 480 kW commercial installation
at the IKEA Sendai store in the Miyagi Prefecture.
Dynamic growth as
solar PV costs approach grid parity
Japan will be the second largest market
in 2015, with installations forecast to reach 10.4 GW. The commercial and
mega-solar segments will still account for a large proportion of Japanese
demand in 2015. The most common commercial system size will be 10–50 kW,
with 3.7 GW of installed capacity expected in this segment.
Mega solar installations above 1 MW
system size will increase to nearly 4.6 GW in 2015. Despite a
5.5 percent cut to feed-in tariffs, the Japanese residential sector
remains a dynamic market for solar energy investment.
“Solar energy can be generated today at around
JPY 27 (USD 0.22) per kWh, which is approaching grid parity. With
average solar system prices having dropped by around 50% over the last six
years, solar installations can maintain attractive ROI even at these reduced
feed-in tariffs. REC therefore expects a stronger push for the residential
segment and predicts residential installations will reach 1.5 GW in 2015
in Japan,” says Tadao Kasahara, Executive Chairman at REC Solar Japan.
“Japan is consistently one of the world’s largest markets for solar power installations, and continues to be a key market for REC. We are valued as a premium supplier in the quality-conscious Japanese market,” Kasahara adds.
“Japan is consistently one of the world’s largest markets for solar power installations, and continues to be a key market for REC. We are valued as a premium supplier in the quality-conscious Japanese market,” Kasahara adds.
“Our exceptionally low product claims
rate confirms REC’s quality. To put this in perspective: out of a total of four
million panels shipped last year, less than 400 were returned to REC as
defective.”
