Japan

Kyocera posted a net profit of JPY 28,880 million ($261.7 million) in the third quarter of the current Japanese fiscal year, down 16.8% year on year, as the group continued to consolidate its PV manufacturing operations in the face of falling sales in its home market.

Moixa has partnered with Japanese trading house, Itochu to market its GridShare platform in Japan. The latter has also invested £5 million in the U.K. residential battery developer to fund further international expansion. The U.S. and Europe are on its radar.

SolarEdge’s new three-phase, DC-optimized and high-voltage inverter and monitoring solution to enter the Japanese market in March via distribution partnership with domestic inverter specialist Omron.

Kyocera TCL Solar LLC has completed work on a 21.1 MW solar PV plant in Japan’s Hagi City. Operations have also begun on five of the company’s floating solar power plants. Meanwhile, in light of decreasing FITs, it provides an update on its shifting solar focus.

The stake in a 610 MW platform comprising Japanese solar power assets was sold to a consortium led by Global Infrastructure Partners, a U.S. infrastructure investment fund.

The Japanese infrastructure arm of Canadian Solar, Canadian Solar Asset Management, has acquired ownership of two large-scale Japanese solar farms, while also taking out a loan of JPY 900 million.

Five new parties have jumped onboard the 480 MW solar PV project, set to be located on the Japanese island of Ukujima. Around US$1.80 billion will be invested, with construction slated for FY 2019.

Lithium ion (Li-ion) manufacturer, GS Yuasa has announced plans to establish a European subsidiary, and to construct a new manufacturing plant for lithium batteries in Miskolc, Hungary.

Japan’s first solar PV auction has reaped disappointing results, with just 41 MW set to be developed. Under the revised FIT, meanwhile, 27.7 GW were cancelled. Despite this, JPEA is aiming for 200 GW of solar PV installs by 2050. Overall, cumulative installed capacity has reached over 40 GW. There are still many plans afoot for large-scale projects, although it is the rooftop sector, which holds the most promise.

The Japanese equipment provider also reports an increase in its sales and operating result in the period; and said its machinery business was almost as planned in the quarter, due to steady sales of PV module manufacturing equipment and automated machines.