Greentech Lead America: Kyocera Solar announced Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Baja California (TMMBC) has installed its solar modules on a new photovoltaic (PV) carport.
The new carport canopy, which covers a portion of the TMMBC facility’s parking area will enhance Toyota’s environmental friendliness and reduce carbon emissions by more than 28 tons each year.
Designed and installed by Todo Solar MX, the system features 24 kilowatts (kW) of Kyocera solar modules and an SMA Sunny Boy power inverter to generate up to 121 kilowatt hours of renewable electricity each day – equivalent to the daily energy requirements of about 15 typical Tijuana-area homes.
TMMBC has been manufacturing Toyota trucks and cars in its Baja California facility since 2002, where it employs 985 people.
Kyocera and Toyota have also collaborated on environment friendly projects earlier. In 2008, Toyota’s Tsutsumi Plant in Japan installed a Kyocera solar power generating system rated at 2,000kW, enough to power about 500 local households. Additionally, Kyocera’s solar cells are integrated into a unique Solar Powered Ventilation System available as an option on select Toyota Prius hybrid automobiles.
Both Toyota and Kyocera have environmental management systems in their Baja California manufacturing facilities to lower greenhouse gas emissions, conserve energy, reduce waste, promote recycling and enhance sustainability.
“Kyocera is honored to see our four decades of solar industry experience at work benefiting the Tijuana community, where a significant proportion of our solar modules are manufactured,” said David Hester, president of Kyocera Mexicana. “As members of the Maquiladora Industry Association of Tijuana, we invite all area businesses to join us in promoting sustainability through solar power generation.”
Recently Kyocera announced it has donated solar power generating systems to four secondary schools in Tanzania and three primary schools in Uganda. The installations are part of larger donation projects that have been ongoing since 2009, in which Kyocera has been providing solar power generating systems to schools in Tanzania and Uganda that have no access to the electricity grid.