Canadian Solar to build plant in Japan

A leading Canadian solar module maker plans to steal a march on its competitors heading for Japan.

Canadian Solar Inc. intends to become the first foreign company to build a plant producing solar panels in Japan. The company, the world's fifth-largest maker of solar modules, intends to begin constructing the plant in 2013.

Ontario-based Canadian Solar expects the plant to have an annual production capacity of 150 MW. Last March, the company announced a separate project to build a 2,000 KW solar power plant in Mie Prefecture by March 2013.

Canadian Solar, founded by a Chinese-Canadian, has about a 3% share of the Japanese market and aims to raise this to 10% in five years.

It is among the many companies competing for a foothold in Japan as the government’s feed in tariff program this July is expected to boost demand for green energy.

In 2010, the company produced 803 MW of photovoltaic panels and combined with their seven wholly owned subsidiaries to ship over 2 GW.