Japanese multinational electronics and ceramics manufacturer Kyocera has provided advanced solar panels for electricity generation at the Kagoshima Nanatsujima Mega Solar Power Plant in Kagoshima Prefecture.
The Solar Power Plant, launched in November 2013, has a power output of 70 megawatts and is constructed in an area of 1.27 million square meters. It is close to the active volcano Sakurajima, but the solar panels here are installed in a safe area.
"We face heavy volcanic ashes once or twice a year, but the solar panels at this plant are installed at a vertical angle. The plant has been running for one year and three months with no need for washing. Despite no cleaning, the panels are very clean. When volcanic ashes accumulated, just 7 millimetres of rainfall washed them away thoroughly. We experienced this in 2013, when rain cleaned the panels thoroughly," said Takeharu Ikudome, an engineer.
The plant coexists with natural conditions utilizing advanced technology. Furthermore, with consideration of safety, approximately 1,400 lightning conductors have been installed.
The site which is close to the sea also faces the risk of tsunamis. To tackle this, the solar modules have been placed at a distance of 30 meters from each other, in addition to an 8.5-meter levee.
Due to great variation in the amount of rainfall by season, there are many reservoirs throughout Japan for agricultural and flood-control purposes. While the plant in Nanatsujima is built on reclaimed land, Kyocera is also developing floating mega solar power plants utilizing the country's abundant water surfaces.
Kyocera not only produces and supplies solar modules, but also undertakes the construction, operation and maintenance of solar power plants.