Commercialization of Concentrating Lens for Solar Power Generation

Under the slogan, "Creation and Expansion of New Businesses," Kuraray has engaged in the GS-Twins three-year medium-term action plan since fiscal 2009 and positioned "environment," "energy" and "optical and electronic business" as its core areas. As part of efforts in the energy area, Kuraray has promoted the development of a concentrating lens that serves as a key component of CPV solar power systems.

Aiming to achieve its corporate vision of 1 trillion yen net sales by 2018, Kuraray will continue its efforts to create and expand new businesses.

Background of Business Development

Kuraray is producing methacrylic resin, which is a raw material for concentrating lenses. Improved methacrylic resin can secure highly reliable products. Kuraray can leverage its accumulated precision molding technology for the laser disk and opto-screen businesses.

Characteristics and Advantages of Kuraray lenses

With improved methacrylic resin, the lens realizes excellent light resistance and water resistance
With advanced transcription properties based on precision molding technology, the lens realizes a high degree of precision and light-concentrating efficiency
Realizes 31% of@the most efficient photovoltaic modules, even with conventional solar power generation technology

Outlook

Amonix is a global market share leader in CPV solar power systems with a market share of over 70%. Amonix expanded manufacturing capacity in a newly constructed concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) system production plant with an annual production capacity of 150MW in Las Vegas, Nevada. Amonix began producing systems in this facility in March, 2011. Kuraray is planning for full-scale production and supply of lenses to this plant.

CPV solar energy

CPV solar power systems concentrate solar light by over 500 times by using a lens or mirror and irradiate it into a small power generation cell. Miniaturizing the size of high-performance, power generation cells can generate electricity more efficiently and at competitive prices. It is used together with a device that accurately traces the movement of the sun in order to efficiently concentrate solar light to the power generation cell. To fully leverage the power generation cell’s performance, CPV solar power systems are most suitable for large-scale power generation plants in such regions as deserts, where a large amount of solar radiation is available. The system can fully exercise its capability in areas with a large amount of solar radiation over long hours.

Amonix is the recognized leader in designing and manufacturing CPV solar power systems that require no water in power production, use land better, and produce more energy per acre than any other solar technology. With the longest track record of real-world CPV deployments in the industry, Amonix is proven to be the best choice for solar power systems in sunny and dry climates. Amonix is headquartered with a manufacturing facility in Seal Beach, California. For more information, visit http://www.amonix.com.

With proprietary technology in polymer chemistry and synthetic chemistry, Kuraray has been developing chemicals and resins, fibers and textiles, high-performance materials, medical products and others. Kuraray has subsidiaries in 16 countries and regions outside Japan.

www.kuraray.co.jp/en/