Sanyo looks to increase its HIT solar cell production to 600MW by 2011

Sanyo announced that it has completed the third factory building (Building C) of the Nishikinohama factory in Kaizuka City, Osaka. Building C has an anticipated start date for the high-volume production of HIT solar cells for December 2010. The start date ultimately lies on the completion of the installation of production equipment and the necessary adjustments and tests for high-volume production.

Building C will have the capability for an annual solar cell production of 135MW, enabling the Nishikinohama factory to increase its overall annual production capacity to 345MW – 1.6 times the current level. Additionally, the Shimane Sanyo factory, which already produces the HIT solar cells, will increase its annual product capacity to 220MW in April 2010. Together, the two factories will have a combined production capacity total of 565MW by the end of March 2011.

For the company’s global market, Sanyo is planning to expand its module production volume based off the Japan-Europe-US trilateral framework. In Japan, the Shiga factory in Otsu City will begin operation at the end of March 2011, increasing the fab's capacity from 100MW to 200MW. The North American facility in Monterrey, Mexico will add 75MW to its production capacity by the end of March 2010. Sanyo’s European facility, in Dorog City, Hungary, will double its capacity for a total output of 315MW by the end of March 2011.

Sanyo is also planning to establish a system between its Oregon facility and another ingot and wafer plant for the combined production volume of 100MW. With the combination of all the projected production in place, Sanyo looks to have a HIT solar cell production capacity of 600MW by the end of March 2011