After years of relying on expensive imported energy, Japan found an alternative, eco-friendly way of securing country's future energy needs, focusing on building renewable energy projects.
In a joint venture, Kyocera Corporation and Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation announced that Tokyo-based Kyocera TCL Solar LLC has started construction of the world's largest 13.7 megawatt (MW) floating solar power plant on the Yamakura Dam reservoir.
Construction works on this massive solar project have started in December 2015. The floating solar plant will be comprised of approximately 51,000 Kyocera 270-watt modules installed over a fresh water surface area of 180,000m2, utilizing Japan's abundant water surfaces of reservoirs for agricultural and flood-control purposes.
Developers estimate it will be capable of producing 16,170 megawatt hours (MWh) per year, which is enough electricity to power approximately 4,970 typical Japanese households (based on average annual use of 3,254.4kWh per household) with a carbon offset of about 8,170 tons of CO2 emissions annually.
The plant, designed and constructed by KYOCERA Communication Systems Co., Ltd., is set for launch in spring 2018.