TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co. said on Monday it plans to start mass-producing solar cells in 2007, eyeing growing demand for environmentally friendly energy sources. Japan's third-biggest automaker said in a statement it would build a new factory for solar cells on the site of a car plant in Kumamoto prefecture, on the southwestern Japanese island of Kyushu. The company aims to generate annual sales of 5 billion to 8 billion yen ($40 million to $70 million) from solar cells once the factory's output reaches full annual capacity of 27.5 megawatts, enough to power about 8,000 households. Honda will be competing with major solar cell manufacturers such as Kyocera Corp. <6971, Sharp Corp. and Mitsubishi Electric Corp. A Honda spokeswoman did not say when the factory would hit full capacity and declined to disclose the size of the investment, which the Nihon Keizai business daily estimated would be just short of 10 billion yen. Honda said its solar cells would be composed of non-silicon compound materials, consuming half as much energy and generating 50 percent less carbon dioxide during production when compared with conventional solar cells made from silicon. The company aims to sell the solar cells for both residential and industrial use. It will initially target the Japanese market. Prior to mass production, Honda plans to manufacture and sell solar cells in a limited area in Japan from late 2006. Shares of Honda were up 1.7 percent at 6,680 yen in late morning trade, compared with a 0.30 percent rise in the benchmark Nikkei share average
Why is it always the Japanese that think this stuff up? Why couldn't someone in the good old US go Hmmm, I think solar cells would be a worthy adventure! The solar cell on my attic vent is made in indonesia for Gods sake!
They actually don't think a lot of it up.....they are just VERY good at taking technolgy, improving on it a bit, getting the quality refined, lowering the price, and running with it. Same way Honda and Toyota took the lower and midsize car market from American manufactures. Detriot was making crap, so the Japs filled the niche. We're driving an 8 year old Honda Accord that you can still set a glass of water on the hood and barely ripple the water it runs so smooth, and not a sign of rust on the body anywhere. Hard to find a Detroit model that can make that claim. The US solar industry WAS off to good start back in the late 70-early 80's when there were good tax credits for installing the equipment ( thus driving the inovation and manufacture ), but our CONgress critters, in their infinite wisdom ( and most likely the lobby money from utilities that didn't want the competition ) ended those just in time to kill a growing industry.
No wonder our kids don't care about Science and Math, there ain't no future in it! Hey, why don't we start sending our kids to college in foreign countries that we don't like and steal their technology!!!!
Me too...98 Honda Accord EX...runs great..and nothing done to it since 1998 except routine maintenance.... It is my 3rd Honda....I have had great luck with them....although..looking at a Jeep now....We'll see..... By the way...Welcome to the Board!
CRC: Thanks for the welcome......I'll try to drop around regular... Our Honda is also a 98 EX Accord.....like you said, only routine stuff for the most part Also our 3rd Honda......had two Civics before the Accord...and the Accord is about all anyone could ask for in a car. If Honda sold a full sized truck in the US, I'd be driving one of them instead of my Silverado.
If you want to introduce yourself around..... http://survivalmonkey.com/forum/welcome-new-memberscheck-in-here-vt572.htm Very nice bunch of monkeys...I mean.PEOPLE ..here.. Again....Welcome.....!
I found TNAndy at another forum where I dropped the SM link. I've read a lot of his stuff the past couple months. Definately one of the good ones! In fact I think we gained 4 or 5 from there.
Hm. The monkey population density is shifting east -- (Unless you are still in Folsom --) Welcome Andy.
Any engines Honda makes are the best - my bike is a Honda Valkyrie and they routinely go over 100k miles with minimum maintenance. I can sit a nickel on it's edge on my engine and it'll sit there while I rev it - I've tried to get the wife to try that with her Harley but she can barely stay on it with it running!
Actually we have thought it up, only our scientists and inventors get killed or imprisoned. Thank the corporations. You can find some really great stuff on zeropoint energy if you looked hard enough.
