Kyocera’s new solar cell manufacturing plant in Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Kyocera has recently completed construction of a new solar cell manufacturing plant, further increasing capacity on its way to reach annual production target of 1 GW by March 2013. The new facility is located in Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture, representing the largest Kyocera Group manufacturing plant in Japan.

The new plant is also the company's second solar cell manufacturing plant along with the existing Shiga Yohkaichi Plant. When compared to the existing one, the new plant employs an enhanced manufacturing line, which increases productivity by 20%.

The main product to be manufactured at the Yasu Plant is the company's newly enhanced cell with an average energy conversion efficiency of 16.9%. These cells are used in Kyocera's 215-watt solar module, which is sold around the world.

And if you didn't know, Kyocera was the first company in the world to start mass production of multicrystalline silicon solar cells in 1982.

[source: Kyocera]