Sharp Corp. (Japan), a manufacturer of solar photovoltaics (PV), announced that it would bolster its solar cell production lines at its Shinjo Plant in Nara Prefecture to meet burgeoning domestic and international demand, and increase its annual production capacity from 248 MW in November to 315 MW MW, the world's highest. The lines will be fully operational, beginning on June 14, 2004.
At this time, to handle the production demand, Sharp has decided to put an enhanced production line into operation designed for new, large-format, thin-film, polycrystalline solar cells. The addition will bring the number of solar cell fabrication lines at the Shinjo Plant to a total of eight (two single-crystal silicon and six polycrystalline silicon cell lines), and will boost the annual production capacity to 315 MW per year.
