Solar Frontier announced that it has reached a basic agreement with the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) for the establishment of a joint investment company that will provide funding for utility-scale solar power plants.

• Solar Frontier is the leading manufacturer of CIS thin-film photovoltaic modules.
• The new company will  help Solar Frontier to develop mainly utility-scale solar plants.

The joint investment company will begin operating in February 2013 and will initially target investments in projects totaling 100 megawatts a year. The joint investment company will become an independent power producer (IPP) and will invest in utility-scale solar projects throughout Japan. Solar Frontier will contribute 60% of the capital while DBJ will contribute the remaining 40%.

The company will not only invest in large-scale projects, but a wide range of projects, including those that have a suitable land plot to develop but have not progressed in terms of finding power producers or financing sources, as well as those less than 2 megawatts, which are generally difficult to source project finance.

By providing integrated processes along the value chain from financing to construction and IPP operations, the company will be able to respond speedily to the demand for utility-scale projects in the Japanese market. The company will also be more competitive in the downstream business by using a new business model to sell already up-and-running projects to IPPs and investors.

While adding value in the downstream area of solar projects, Solar Frontier will be able to support a wide range of customers looking to enter the IPP business by accumulating knowhow from the development and operation of IPP projects.

Solar Frontier’s proprietary CIS thin-film solar modules are designed for high performance even in shade and high temperatures, delivering shorter project payback times and more economical results. Solar Frontier’s products are being adopted in utility-scale projects both in Japan and abroad. Capitalizing on its experience, Solar Frontier intends to contribute further to the widespread use of renewable energy in Japan by not only supplying highly competitive panels but by also providing a full range of services for solar power generation projects.