SANYO North America Corp., SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.'s regional headquarters for the North American market, announces plans to increase the production capacity of solar modules at its Mexico Monterrey Factory by nearly 2.5 times the current amount.
The increase in production will serve the rapidly rising demand for solar power in the North American market. The Mexican plant currently has an annual production capacity of 20MW for solar module assembly of the HIT solar panels. The planned increases in production capacity would add up to a total production capacity of 50MW. Operations are expected to start from December, reaching full capacity within this fiscal year.
The company is constructing new facilities for future growth in response to increasing market demand, moving forward to reach the goals set to more than double its annual production capacity from the current level of 260MW to at least 600MW by the close of FY 2010.
It will increase production of HIT photovoltaic modules in three major markets in the world: Japan, the U.S., and Europe. The company had previously announced plans to more than double its solar ingot and wafer production capacity, fundamental components of the HIT solar cell, by building a new plant in Salem, Ore. This new plant will be in addition to the existing plant in Carson, Calif. bringing the total ingot and wafer production capacity in North America to approximately 100MW upon completion and full operation of the Oregon Plant.
