A solar energy-focused offshoot of the Kyocera Group has announced its intent to begin manufacturing solar energy modules at their San Diego-based facility in the hopes of serving a growing demand for clean and renewable energy sources.
Kyocera Solar, which has its operating headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona and serves thousands of customers around the world, announced Wednesday that the U.S.-based manufacturing would help lead the business towards a new goal of an annual global production of one gigawatt worth of solar energy cells by March 2013.
Production of the cells will get underway during the first half of 2010 with the initial goal of creating 30 megawatts annually.
“Today’s announcement is further proof that California’s nation-leading green policies play a vital role in our state’s economic success,” said California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “Even in this recession, green jobs in California have grown, and Kyocera’s decision to locate its solar manufacturing operations in San Diego will create even more jobs at a time when they are needed most.”
Steve Hill, The president of Kyocera Solar, added that the new production aimed to tap into the “extraordinary growth” in the adoption of solar energy taking place across the country. Kyocera expects to double in production of solar cells from 2009 by 2011.
