Kyocera TCL Solar, a special purpose company (joint venture) jointly formed by Kyocera Corporation and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation, has completed construction of the largest solar power plant on a reclaimed island on Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwa, in Shiga Prefecture. The 8.5MW plant will generate 9,300MWh of solar electricity per year, enough for powering approximately 2,900 average local homes.

Project planning began in October 2013, when Shiga Prefecture was publicly seeking companies to construct a solar power plant on underutilized land on Yabasekihanto Island, located on Lake Biwa. Shiga Prefecture, Kyocera and Kyocera TCL Solar concluded basic agreements in December 2013 and started construction in October 2014.

The project comprises roughly 3,300 255W PV modules, covering a land of approximately 96,138m2 on the island. Kyocera also supplies emergency power-supply equipment consisting of a 4kW Kyocera solar power generating system and a 16.2kW storage battery, as well as solar streetlights with clocks powered by 95W Kyocera solar modules. In addition, the plant features a nearby observation deck where year-round visitors can view the solar array lying beside the beautiful lake.

In addition to this project, Kyocera and Century Tokyo Leasing are developing solar power plants at multiple sites in Japan — many of which are being repurposed on underutilized land such as abandoned golf courses, including a 92MW plant in Kagoshima, 23MW plant in Kyoto, 29.2MW plant in Tottori and 27MW plant in Fukushima, sites which are characterized by expansive land mass, high sun exposure, and a low concentration of shade trees.