Malaysia gets new Panasonic solar plant

Malaysia is set to be the next home for the Panasonic Corporation's newest solar manufacturing base. Panasonic Energy Malaysia Sdn Bhd will be established next month according to the company and a new factory producing wafers to cells and modules will start operations in December 2012.

Located at the Kulim Hi-Tech Park, Kedah, the new operation will cost JPY45 billion (USD580 million) and have an annual production capacity of 300 MW.

Panasonic added that: “With environmental awareness increasing globally and introduction of subsidy systems and Feed-in Tariff schemes in Japan as well as other countries, etc., the solar cell market is predicted to grow further,” indicating that it sees its own domestic market as being important.