| As an electronics manufacturer, Sharp works actively to
develop environmentally conscious products in order to contribute to the
realization of a sustainable society. In particular, we consider the PV
cell to be a key device for creating energy to help meet future demand. |
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Helping to Stop Global Warming |
| A
3 kW solar power generation system of the type designed for general home
use can produce approximately 3,000 kWh of electricity over the course of
a year. The effect of this is equivalent to a 540 kg-C lowering of carbon
dioxide emissions (carbon equivalent) annually. |
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Hopes for Preserving Supplies of Fossil Fuels |
| Using
a solar power generation system to cover some of the household's power consumption
can indirectly reduce the amount of fossil fuels used by thermal power stations.
It can therefore be anticipated that the popularization of solar power generation
will help to preserve existing supplies of fossil fuels.* |
| *
Extract from PV Building Design Guide, published by the New Energy and Industrial
Technology Development Organization: A solar power generation system with
a capacity of 10 kW generates 10,016 kWh of electricity annually (assuming
the average amount of sunlight in the Tokyo area), and by taking the place
of electricity generated by a thermal power station this has the effect
of lowering consumption of petroleum by the equivalent of 135 drums (2,436
liters) of kerosene. |
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Effective Utilization of Solar Energy |
It
is said that the amount of solar energy that strikes the Earth's surface
is the equivalent of about 1 kW per square meter. This works out to 1 kWh
worth of sunlight per hour. A solar power generation system can be used
to obtain electricity from this solar energy. For example, a system with
an overall conversion efficiency of 10% would produce 0.1 kWh of electricity
per hour.
Sharp put its first solar power generation systems on the market in 1994.
The cell conversion efficiency of our PV modules for household use is quite
high: 17.5% for the single-crystal type and 16.0% for the polycrystal type.
We are presently working to improve the conversion efficiency of our PV
products still further in order to make even more effective use solar energy,
the inexhaustible energy source . |
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