Corporate History
The history of solar cells runs concurrent with the history of the Sharp Corporation. Solar cells are the big clean energy device of the moment; however, for several years after beginning research into solar cells in 1959, Sharp faced considerable difficultly developing that area of business.
As a manufacturer of products that use electricity, Sharp believes it has a responsibility to develop solar cells that can generate electricity; solar cells are now in widespread use in residences and business.
Milestones
1959
Started development of solar cells
1961
First Transistor Radio with Solar Cell
1963
The world’s first buoy supplied with a solar cells.
1963
Success in mass producing solar cells
1966
Ogami Island Lighthouse installed with solar cells, the worlds' largest solar power output at the time.(225 W)
1967
Started development space solar cells
1976
First calculators with solar cell batteries released.
1976
Started development of space solar cells
1981
Operations began at the Shinjo Plant (now Katsuragi Plant).
1983
Production of a two-layer stacked solar cell using a roll-to-roll method
1988
Oita Marine Ranching system employs photovoltaic module.
1988
Cell conversion efficiency for amorphous silicon solar cells reaches 11.5%
1992
Cell conversion efficiency of 17.1%, the world’s highest for polycrystalline solar cells.
1992
The world's highest cell conversion efficiency of 22% for single-crystal type solar cells capable of mass production.
1994
Commercialization of residential solar power system (Grid-connected)
1998
A 200 kW system, largest in Japan, with the world's first snow melting function
1999
Received the Japan New Energy Award and Ministry of International Trade and Industry Award
2000
Worldwide-leading manufacturer of solar cells/modules
2001
Obtained Overseas Safety Standard certification UL (United States) and TUV (EU) for photovoltaic modules
2002
Development of the industry's first string power conditioner
2003
Space photovoltaic module installed on Satellite Observatory "Free Flyer" (SFU)
2003
Photovoltaic module begins in U. S
2003
European production of photovoltaic modules started
2003
Release of a 3 kW system photovoltaic module capable of being installed in the smallest area
2004
Announcement of an "illuminating solar cells," a combined solar cells and LED
2005
Development of solar cells that admit light and can be used as building materials for windows
2005
Started mass-production of thin-film solar cells
2005
Mass-production of tandem thin-film solar cells started
2006
Katsuragi plant expands its annual solar cell production capacity to 600 MW, the world's highest at that time
2006
Realization of the world’s most advanced environmentally-conscious production protocols
2007
Success in developing mass-production of triple-junction thin-film solar cells
2007
Expanded production capacity of photovoltaic module to 220 MW in Europe
2008
First in the world to achieve cumulative production of 2 GW
2008
Installation of "Lumiwall", thin-film solar cells with built in LEDs,in the Yodoyabashi Redevelopment Building
2008
Achieved annual production capacity on the 1 GW scale through horizontal deployment of thin-film technology.
2008
Achieved the industry's highest* conversion efficiency for a polycrystalline photovoltaic module, 14.4%
2008
Delivered new solar module for mobile devices
2009
Accomplished 35.8% conversion efficiency of triple-junction compound solar cells
2009
Tenerife Island Industrial Mega Solar Power Plant
2009
Tokai University won the Global Green Challenge in solar car equipped with Sharp solar cells
2010
Sharp signs agreement to help establish one of the world’s largest solar power plants