KYOCERA SOLAR MODULES CONTRIBUTE TO DISASTER PREVENTION AND HAVE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED TÜV RHEINLAND'S "SALT MIST TEST"

29 April 2014

Kyoto / Neuss − Kyocera has announced the installation of a “Solar Cycle Station for EV” at the headquarters of Shintec Hozumi Co., Ltd. in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Based on a development plan by Shintec Hozumi, Kyocera designed and constructed the system so that solar-generated power charged to electric vehicles can be utilized in times of disaster as backup energy, contributing both to the efficient use of clean energy and disaster prevention.

Kyocera’s “Solar Cycle Station” is an environmentally friendly solar-powered recharging station— originally launched for electric-assisted bicycles in 2010 — that uses the company’s high performance solar modules. In 2012, the company started supplying the Solar Cycle Station for EV, which is designed to power electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

With the purpose of protecting the environment and saving electricity costs, Shintec Hozumi installed a 230kW Kyocera solar power generating system on the rooftop of its headquarters to provide clean energy for the building. Furthermore, as part of its Business Continuity Plan (BCP), the company adopted Kyocera’s Solar Cycle Station for EV in order to secure backup power for disaster prevention planning. Kyocera undertook the design and construction based on this scheme, creating a recharging system which not only supplies solar power to plug-in hybrid vehicles owned by the company, but can also route electricity from the cars’ batteries back to the building when needed during an emergency. 

Kyocera Solar Modules pass TÜV Rheinland’s salt mist test

The most recent test results from TÜV Rheinland affirm that Kyocera solar modules are able to maintain performance even under very severe environmental conditions. The entire product line of Kyocera solar modules has passed the Salt Mist Corrosion Test* of TÜV Rheinland in Tempe, Arizona. Successfully passing this independent, third-party test indicates that Kyocera’s solar modules, which are the product of more than 38 years of continuous research and development, are ideally suited for long-term deployment in marine and coastal areas.

Salt mist is a corrosive agent that can reduce the output of solar modules that are not proven salt-mist resistant. Salt-laden humidity and rain conditions can adversely affect key module components, including the frames, junction boxes and glass surfaces, thus potentially reducing a module’s performance and lifespan.

TÜV Rheinland performed the test to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 61701 standards, Edition 2, Level 6 -- the most severe testing conditions, involving eight weeks of intensive cyclical, sequential days of corrosive salt spray and damp storage, to simulate a harsh marine environment.

*IEC61701:2011 Edition 2, Severity Level 6

 
 
For more information about Kyocera: www.kyocerasolar.eu

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