Noritsu to enter large-scale solar energy generation business

Business continuity risks and rising costs have become serious social issues in Japan after the catastrophic Tohoku earthquake/tsunami last year. As a result, the interest in environmentally-friendly technologies has grown among corporations and consumers as well. Noritsu Koki Group is responding to the development by pushing forward with new businesses that deal directly with environmental issues, including the manufacturing/sales of LED lighting products and the provision of BEMS (Building Energy Management System) equipment as a company endorsed by the Japanese government (Ministry of Economy, trade and Industry).

With the goal of reducing the impact on the environment and providing sustainable energy, Noritsu is now taking a further step by putting idle land on the Noritsu grounds to good use and building a large-scale solar power station. With a maximum capacity of 2 MW, the facility will produce approximately 2.3 million kwh per year, allowing for an annual reduction of approximately 700 tons of CO2, according to a Noritsu press release.

To be prepared for business continuity even in times of large-scale disasters such as major earthquakes, the company also plans to install a power storage system in the future as a source of energy in emergency situations.

The new solar station will be one of the largest producers of electric power in Wakayama prefecture, Noritsu said, and it will be the first solar power station funded by a Wakayama company.