Panasonic

Malaysia’s ambitions to become a manufacturing center for solar power systems are being fulfilled, at least partially, by growing local demand and the explosion of the Japanese solar market.

Panasonic has opened an “eco ideas” Factory in Vietnam which is aimed at producing eco-friendly products with sustainable industry practices and raising the level of eco consciousness in the local community.

Japanese electronics giant Panasonic is investing MYR4 million (USD1.2 million) in the Panasonic Econation Centre, a a showcase for technology-based energy management innovations, it aims to educate Malaysian's on sustainable living

Panasonic may boost its production of solar panels by about 30 percent next fiscal year because of incentives from Japan's government, the head of the business said. Japan's new feed-in-tariffs, which kick in on 1 July, "have boosted the interest of individuals and business owners in using their rooftops or unused fields for solar-power generation," Kazuhiro Yoshida, who heads the Osaka-based company's solar business, said in an interview yesterday.

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.