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Sincerity and Creativity in dealing with Climate Change
Sharp Corporation Solar Systems Group
Global warming is a particularly serious environmental problem across the world.
Rapid innovation of science and technology in the twentieth century brought
material affluence, convenience, and a damaged eco-system. If destruction
continues at this pace, it may lead to catastrophe.
In pursuit of Becoming an Environmentally Advanced Company?
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Figure 1 |
What can we do to tackle global warming? Sharp has instituted a basic
environmental philosophy as “Creating an environmentally conscious company
with sincerity and creativity”. Under this philosophy, Sharp is pursuing
environmental conservation in all aspects of its business activities. Since fiscal
2004, Sharp has raised its mid-term objective of becoming an “environmentally
advanced company”. In order to achieve this objective, we implement our own
unique strategy, “Super green Strategy” (see figure 1).
In addition, the new corporate vision of achieving “Zero Global Warming
Impact Company by 2010” has set to strengthen its efforts in environmental
conservation. The aim of this vision is to limit, to the greatest extent possible,
the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from its business activities around the
world, at the same time as significantly increasing the reduction in emissions with
energy-creating solar cells and the energy-saving new products. The reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions must exceed the amount emitted by the fiscal
year 2010.
Emissions resulting from business activities in the fiscal year 2005 were 1.53
million tonnes of CO2. In contrast, it is estimated that the solar cells Sharp
produced over the 20 years prior to 2004 generated approximately 878 GWh of
electricity in the fiscal year 2005. This is equivalent to a reduction of about 0.37
million tonnes of CO2.
Why Solar Power?
Solar power generation is a promising alternative energy source as it converts
sunlight directly into electricity without noise and emissions. The sun’s energy is
limitless - wherever sunlight is, electricity can be generated.
The contributions of a solar power system (size:1?(output power:150Wp, location:
Mid-latitude, Japan) are:
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Electric power generation:
158kWh per year; |
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CO2 absorption effect: equivalent
to annual absorption amount
by the forest of 316? (On
assumption that the amount of
CO2 absorption is 90g-C/?); and, |
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Saving on oil consumption:
Equivalent to 39 litres of oil
consumption. (size:1?(output
power:150Wp, location: Midlatitude,
Japan) |
In 2004, the cumulative volume of
installed solar power generation
system was 2,600MWp globally.
Sharp and Solar power
 Sharp launched the development
of solar cells in 1959 and swiftly
succeeded in mass production
in 1963. Cells can be applied
for various usage, including in
lighthouses, space satellites, homes,
buildings and large-scale power
plants. As the world’s largest solar cell producer in terms of yearly volume for the
last six years, Sharp produced 428 MW from solar cells in the fiscal year 2005.
Sharp also has a variety of technologies, such as silicon (single-crystalline,
poly-crystalline and thin-film) and compounds base solar cells, and will
continually develop a broad range of products so as to expand the use of
solar power generation, aiming to provide the most efficient systems to meet
users’ requirements. Research on total energy solutions with core solar power
technology will be integrated with new energy sources, such as fuel cells.
Infinite opportunity
Sharp has undertaken projects to install solar power generation system in areas
which have no access to electricity, for instance, in Mongolia supported by Japan’s
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) in
2002. By installing the solar power generation system, the sustainable supply
of electricity is secured. As a result, the vaccine for the medical treatment can
be preserved with the refrigerator in the hospital, the operation and X rays can
be examined at any time when it is necessary. At schools, electronic musical
instruments and computers are used. With the solar power generation system, the
people’s lives are enriched and the educational environment has been enhanced.
(See Picture 1 in Mongolia).
Global electricity supply from solar power is expected to increase to 30% in 2040.
If CDM solar energy projects are approved, not only will that contribute to global
environmental improvement, but also to sustainable growth in the developing
countries. Finally, education and environmental awareness, conveying the
importance and limitation of energy source, should also extend to children. Sharp
has established “Solar Academy”. We visit schools and provide classes to convey
the importance of energy and to embrace the environmental awareness to kids.
We believe the solar power generation system will maintain our specious planet
and bring future prosperity of all the people on the earth.
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