Japan's Softbank to build 4 MW of rooftop solar systems

Dec 13, 2012 - Japanese mobile operator Softbank Corp (TYO:9984) plans to install 4 MW of solar panels on rooftops leased from homeowners across Japan as the country's renewable feed-in tariff makes solar generation attractive.

Softbank will sell the electricity generated to utilities and will distribute 15% of the revenues to homeowners, with whom it will sign 20-year contracts, the company said yesterday. The homeowners will be able to retain the panels after the end of the contract. The solar systems will be provided by Japan's Sharp Corp (TYO:6753) and the Japanese unit of Chinese solar products maker Suntech Power Holdings (NYSE:STP).

Softbank is seeking to install systems on 1,000 homes with a combined capacity of around 4 MW. The project covers 31 prefectures, where interested homeowners can apply to take part from December 21, 2012 to March 31, 2013.

Japan introduced feed-in tariffs to promote renewable energy investment in July this year. Since then solar power plants in Japan sell their output at JPY 42 (USD 0.50/EUR 0.39) per kWh.

(JPY 100 = USD 1.200/EUR 0.920)

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