Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills Project begins operation in Japan

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A new 100 MW solar power park supplied by Kyocera solar modules has begun operation in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Operated by the Kyocera and backed Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills LLC joint venture, the solar park is one of the largest PV facilities in Japan on the island of Kyushu. Venture partner Tokyo Century coordinated the financing for the project with 17 regional banks. Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills LLC, a joint venture that counts Japanese electronics and solar cell and module manufacturer, Kyocera,  as one of its main shareholders, has begun operation of its 100 MW Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills Solar Power Plant, one of the largest solar power parks on the Japanese island of Kyushu. The site will employ 356,928 high-efficiency Kyocera solar modules, the site, located in the town of Osaki and the city of Kanoya. The solar modules are expected to generate some 117,000 MWh per year.

Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills’ backers also comprises of the GF Corporation and Kyudenko Corporation, who established a consortium to oversee the plant’s design, construction and maintenance. In addition to the backers previously mentioned, financial services group Tokyo Century worked with the Bank of Fukuoka in arranging a syndicated loan with 17 regional banks for the project. Kanoya Osaki Solar Hills LLC, which will handle operations of the facility, working on the construction of the site with the cooperation of Kagoshima Prefecture, the city of Kanoya, the town of Osaki and other members of the community.

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Planning of the project began in January 2014 after the local community in expressed interest in repurposing land designated for a golf course more than 30 years ago that had been subsequently abandoned. “We believe that this installation will contribute greatly to the local community through the creation of jobs and increased tax revenues in both Kanoya and Osaki,” Kyocera said in a statement. Akihito Kubota, executive officer and general manager of Kyocera’s Corporate Smart Energy Group, added: “GF, Kyocera, Kyudenko and Tokyo Century started this project with a commitment to contribute to the community in cooperation with local governments by assisting with a long-term land redevelopment vision.”