Tokyo, March 18, 2009 - SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. (SANYO) announces the completion of a “Solar Parking Lot”^*1 utilizing SANYO’s various energy- and environment-related technologies, using HIT solar panels on the roof which recharge the batteries in bicycles equipped with electric engine assist motors while parked at the Tokushima Prefectural Government Office in Japan.

The “Solar Parking Lot” is a perfectly independent and clean system eliminating the use of fossil fuels, and the clean power generated from the solar panels installed on the roof is stored to be used to recharge the electric hybrid bicycle batteries. By combining solar cells with a lithium-ion battery system, recharging the electric hybrid bicycles without any commercial power source is possible even if at night or on a rainy day. The lithium-ion battery system also features AC power outlets that can be used to power external equipment during an emergency or electrical power outage.

The project to create a clean energy parking solution came about from an experiment combining the Tokushima’s local government’s goals to promote environmental awareness-raising activities while using products from local companies. As a member of the community, SANYO also expressed the desire to help support the people and the communities of Tokushima. With this combined effort, SANYO renovated part of an existing bicycle parking lot at the Tokushima Prefectural Government Office using SANYO’s HIT^*2 Solar Panels, lithium-ion battery system, and ‘eneloop bike’ electric hybrid bicycles.
　
SANYO has a base for producing lithium-ion batteries in Tokushima (Tokushima Plant: Matsushige-cho, Itano-gun, Tokushima), and is proactively promoting activities jointly with the Tokushima Prefectural Government to revitalize local industry utilizing SANYO’s lithium-ion batteries. The activities are being advanced through the Tokushima Prefecture Next-generation Energy Usage Promotion Council^*3, an organization being sponsored by the prefecture that includes participation from both local industries and local universities.

Additionally, there are some panels that have been placed on display in the lobby of the Tokushima Prefectural Government Office to explain the “Solar Parking Lot”, as well as a display on the lithium-ion battery system to show the current power generation status. By allowing the residents of Tokushima to observe first-hand an application combining the technologies of solar power generation and rechargeable batteries, the “Solar Parking Lot” is expected to promote further environmental awareness in the prefecture.

As a company with technologies for both power generation and recharging, SANYO will continue to develop systems that combine these strengths into viable and usable solutions for everyday applications.

*1: The Solar Parking Lot has been designed for the Tokushima Prefectural Government Office and installed on a trial basis. Not commercially available.
*2: HIT stands for Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin layer. HIT Solar Cell is a uniquely-structured hybrid-type solar cell developed by SANYO Electric Co., Ltd., which uses a crystalline silicon substrate and amorphous silicon thin film. Its high conversion efficiency and superior temperature characteristic enable the world’s highest power generation per installation area (as of March 18, 2009).
*3: A project initiated by Tokushima Prefecture in August 2008, with the involvement of private companies and the University of Tokushima. SANYO is one of several Tokushima companies participating in this project to find new and unique industries for Tokushima relating lithium-ion battery technology.

- Panels (3): 210-watt HIT Solar Panels, Solar panel output: 630 Watts, Annual Output: 690kWh
- Lithium-ion battery system: 1 unit
- ‘eneloop bike’ (Electric Hybrid Bicycle): 3 units
(Available to office staff for local/neighborhood errands)