Japan solar cells sales up 30.7% in Q4

Japan's sales of solar cells in Japan rose by 30.7% due to less fundctioning nuclear stations and government subsidies for solar products.

Sales in the fourth quarter rose 30.4% from 2010, to 406.3MW. Solar cell exports for the whole of 2011 rose to 1,462.8MW, up 1.2% from a year earlier, although they fell 13.5% to 321.3MW the last quarter of 2011. Sales exceeded 1,000MW for the first time.

The Japanese Photovoltaic Association state Japan had aimed to increase its nuclear power generation to more than half of its electricity supply by 2030. But now looks to raise the role of renewable sources such as wind and solar power.

The association includes major Japanese solar panel makers such as Sharp Corp, Kyocera Corp, Panasonic Corp and Mitsubishi Electric Corp, as well as foreign makers such as Suntech Power Holdings.