Honda's new business venture: solar power

Carmaker had been testing, even as way to produce hydrogen for fuel
cells

MSNBC staff and news service reports

Updated: 9:18 a.m. ET Dec. 19, 2005

TOKYO - Describing itself as "the first automaker to enter into solar
cell business," Honda Motor Co. said on Monday it plans to start
mass-producing solar cells in 2007, eyeing growing demand for
environmentally friendly energy sources.

more at:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10530747/

and

December 19, 2005

Tokyo, Japan: Honda to Mass Produce Next-Generation Thin Film Solar Cell

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. is to begin mass production in 2007, of an
independently developed thin film solar cell composed of non-silicon
compound materials, which requires 50% less energy, and thus generate
50% less CO2, during production compared to a conventional solar cell. A
mass production plant with annual capacity of 27.5 Megawatts will be
established at Honda\'s Kumamoto factory.

Honda will produce and sell solar panels in a limited area, starting
from 2006 fall, using assembly line within Honda Engineering Co., Ltd.,
the production engineering subsidiary of Honda.

By using thin film made from a compound of copper, indium, gallium and
selenium (CIGS), Honda says its next-generation solar cell achieves a
major reduction in energy consumed during the manufacturing process to
approximately 50% of the amount required by conventional crystal silicon
solar cells. Thus, this new solar cell is more environmentally-friendly
by reducing the amount of CO2 even from the production stage. The
compays says its next-generation solar cell has achieved the highest
level of photoelectric transfer efficiency for a thin film solar cell
(almost equivalent to the conventional crystal silicon solar cell).

Since spring 2002, Honda has been using and monitoring the performance
of this solar cell, first at the Outboard Engine Plant in Hosoe, and
then also at 12 other Honda facilities including Honda Engineering
headquarters and the Honda Wako Building in Japan and 3 overseas sites
including site in the U.S. and Thailand.

Achieving lower costs and higher photoelectric transfer efficiency is
required in order to expand use of solar cells which will help protect
the global environment. Honda says non-silicon thin film solar cells
have been attracting significant attention as a potential solution to
these challenges. The only remaining challenges were the stabilization
of performance and development of mass production technologies.

The mass production of Honda\'s next-generation solar cell became
possible with a new mass production process for thin film solar cells
developed independently by Honda Engineering - a production engineering
company that has long developed production equipment and technologies
for Honda\'s motorcycle, automobile, engine, electric motor for hybrid
vehicles and other items.

In addition to its effort to lower environmental load through achieving
reduced emissions and higher fuel efficiency, as the first automaker to
enter into solar cell business, Honda will contribute to the effort to
prevent global warming through production and sales of a clean energy
source which does not use fossil fuels.

In its vision for 2010, Honda has committed itself to take on new
challenges in new areas and to develop environmentally-friendly and
sustainable energy technologies. Honda\'s entrance into the solar cell
business with independently developed technologies is an example of the
realization of Honda\'s 2010 vision.

http://www.solarbuzz.com/News/NewsASMA59.htm