Sharp Corporation will begin mass production of new single crystalline solar cells with high conversion efficiency on March 31, 2011 at its solar cell plant in GREEN FRONT SAKAI, located in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The mass production will cover processes from solar cells to solar modules.

These new single crystalline solar cells with high conversion efficiency use a Back Contact structure (electrodes connected to the back). This eliminates the need for electrodes on the front and increases the light-receiving area on the front surface of the cells. In addition, a new alignment technology (Alignment Sheet system) reduces the connection resistance between adjacent cells and contributes to increased power output.

Sharp began research into solar cells in 1959 and launched mass production in 1963. By the end of 2010, Sharp had reached 4.3 GW (gigawatts) of cumulative solar cell production volume. Sharp will continue to further develop clean energy based on technologies built up over the past five decades.

Overview of the Production of Single Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells with High Conversion Efficiency