American PVs on Japanese Homes

Solarex Corporation has been selected by Misawa Homes Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan to supply photovoltaic (PV) panels for new homes. The custom-made PV modules will be integrated into the south-facing roof of the houses, replacing the usual roofing tiles. Each house will generate a peak level of four kilowatts of electricity. The homes will interface with the utility grid, selling power at government-fixed rates during the day and purchasing power for home use at night. No electrical power storage will be needed at the homes.

This deal is a real coup, according to industry expert Steven Strong. “Solarex was very clever and managed to outmaneuver Japanese producers by creating a module to Misawa’s specifications within two weeks,” Strong said. Solarex expects to supply modules for 100 to 300 homes in 1994, and as many as 1,000 by the end of 1995. Solarex is a wholly owned subsidiary of Amoco Corporation and the world’s largest manufacturer of polycrystalline and thin-film modules. Solarex is providing the PV modules to Misawa via its authorized distributor for Japan, MSK Corporation.