History
1959: Started development of solar cells
1963: Began mass production of solar cells
1963: First to supply ocean buoy with solar
1966: Installed solar on lighthouse
1967: Began development of solar space applications
1976: "Ume" satellite successfully launched with solar cells on board
1980: Released first solar calculator
1981: Began operations at Shinjo Plant (now Katsuragi)
1988: Reached 11.5% cell conversion for amorphous silicon solar cells
1992: Reached 17.1% cell conversion for polycrystalline solar cells
1992: Achieved world's highest cell conversion efficiency of 22%
1994: Commercialization of residential solar power system (grid-connected)
2000: Became global leader in solar cell manufacturing
2001: Obtained UL (U.S.) and TUV (EU) certification for PV modules
2002: Developed the industry's first string power conditioner
2003: Space PV module installed on Satellite Observatory "Free Flyer" (SFU)
2003: Began producing PV modules in the United States
2003: Began producing PV modules in Europe
2005: Developed solar cells that admit light and can be used as building materials for windows
2005: Began mass producing thin film solar cells
2006: Katsuragi plant expands its annual production capacity to 600 megawatts, the world's highest at that time
2007: Expanded production capacity of PV modules to 200 megawatts in Europe
2008: Became first PV manufacturer in the world to achieve cumulative production of 2 GW
2008: Achieved industry's highest conversion efficiency for a polycrystalline PV module of 14.4%
2009: Launched thin film modules globally
2010: Launched world's highest efficiency Solar PV panel with greater than 32.5% efficiency
2010: Investment made into 2.8 GW annual production capacity
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“All history is a record of the power of minorities, and of minorities of one.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“The history of the world is the record of the weakness, frailty and death of public opinion.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)
“Let it suffice that in the light of these two facts, namely, that the mind is One, and that nature is its correlative, history is to be read and written.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)