An overview of system technology in Japan

✍ Scribed by Kosuke Kurokawa

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 302 KB
• Volume: 8
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0960-1481
• DOI: 10.1016/0960-1481(96)88903-8

✦ Synopsis

The paper summarizes Japanese activities in the field of photovoltaic system R&D. Last year 1994 was just the 20th anniversary of the Sunshine Project, which started in July 1974. Although there have been a variety of R&D including stand-alone applications in the Project, the utility-connected, residential systems mounted on roofs have been able to indicate the largest possibility from an early stage of R&D. Through these efforts, it can be considered that the technologies have recently been established fundamentally and a series of new activities have been being introduced to promote the commercialization and diffusion of PV systems. To review those activities, several condensed tables are presented, e.g., the histoiy of system R&D, recent deregulation and new institutional activities to spread PV systems. Possible R&D items from now on are also reviewed and listed, which are necessary for the support of these efforts as well as the global spread of PV systems.