????硬件來源也發(fā)生了巨大改變，日本國內(nèi)太陽能電池板的銷售已超過了廉價的進口品。日本擁有實力很強的太陽能電池板制造行業(yè)，IHS預(yù)計，夏普（Sharp）、京瓷（Kyocera）、三洋（Sanyo）和三菱電機（Mitsubishi Electric）等大牌企業(yè)將享受到新能源政策和自身對太陽能業(yè)務(wù)的重視所帶來的好處。

????這幾家業(yè)務(wù)都陷入困頓的公司正在憑借自身技術(shù)優(yōu)勢，努力提升日本造太陽能電池板的質(zhì)量，同時保持低價。這么做使得太陽能成為日本電子行業(yè)少有的幾個亮點之一。夏普最近推出了一款新型太陽能電池板。它宣稱，這種電池板不僅硅用量僅為常規(guī)產(chǎn)品的1%，而且薄透程度足以替代窗戶。

????其他廠商則著重電能轉(zhuǎn)換效率。為了使得太陽能發(fā)電的大規(guī)模應(yīng)用能夠在經(jīng)濟上可承受，研究人員長期以來一直試圖開發(fā)一種低成本的太陽能電池，兼具高效能、易制造和高產(chǎn)出等特點。硅晶太陽能電池將太陽光轉(zhuǎn)變?yōu)殡娔艿膿Q能效率通常在21%左右。

????據(jù)松下公司（Panasonic）稱，它開發(fā)的一款太陽能電池板原型已經(jīng)成功實現(xiàn)24.7%的換能效率，為世界最高水平。目前，這個換能效率已獲得日本產(chǎn)業(yè)技術(shù)綜合研究所（National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology）的測試認證。

????“太陽能行業(yè)的繁榮還能持續(xù)多久還很難講，但隨著土地資源用盡，這一趨勢將會放緩，”久司保志說。“當(dāng)然，還有屋頂可以進行利用開發(fā)。移動運營商軟銀（Softbank）就在這樣做，租賃屋頂開發(fā)太陽能，這是一種非常聰明和有意思的商業(yè)模式。或許，這次不會再像以前那些試圖解除對日本電力行業(yè)管制的努力，這一次應(yīng)該會成功。”（財富中文網(wǎng)）

????The provenance of the hardware has also seen a sea change with domestic panels now outselling cheap imports. Japan has a strong solar panel manufacturing industry and companies like Sharp, Kyocera, Sanyo, and Mitsubishi Electric would benefit from the new energy polices and emphasis on solar power, according to IHS.

????Those same failing companies are now banking on a technological edge to push the quality up of made-in-Japan solar panels while keeping prices down. Doing so could make solar one the few bright points of the Japanese electronics industry. Sharp recently unveiled new solar panels that it claims not only use just 1% of the expensive silicon used in conventional models but are thin enough and clear enough to replace windows.

????Others are focusing on efficiency. To make solar electricity affordable on a large scale, researchers have long been trying to develop a low-cost solar cell, which is both highly efficient and easy to manufacture with high output -- silicon-based solar cells typically have an efficiency of around 21% for converting sunlight into electricity.

????According to Panasonic its prototype solar cell has achieved the world's highest conversion efficiency at 24.7%, verified by tests performed at Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology.

????"How long the boom in solar can last in Japan is hard to tell, but as land runs out, there will be slowdown," says Hoshi. "Of course there are still the rooftops to exploit as mobile carrier Softbank is doing. It's renting rooftops for solar -- a very smart and interesting business model. Perhaps, unlike previous attempts to deregulate Japan's electric utility industry, this should be a success."