Aiming for a Zero Environmental Impact Society

Among Japanese automakers, Honda has been particularly proactive in equipping its facilities and dealerships with solar panels. To date, it has completed the installation of 3.3 megawatts of solar power generation systems, a track record unmatched by other manufacturers.



On February 4th, the day the plan was announced, the "Tokyo Chuo Adachiodai Store," the first dealership to implement the plan, was immediately equipped with a 9-kilowatt solar power system and a solar power monitor. Furthermore, Honda plans to install a 2.6-megawatt solar power system, one of the largest for an automotive plant in Japan, at its Yorii factory, scheduled to commence operations in 2013.

The thin-film solar cells from Honda Soltec, central to this plan, are highly efficient, requiring less energy during manufacturing and generating more power than conventional silicon solar cells even under cloudy skies or during the weaker sunlight of dawn and dusk. Once all 1 megawatt of solar power systems are installed, an annual reduction of approximately 310 tons of carbon dioxide emissions is expected.

Honda, striving to realize the "joy of freedom in mobility" and a "rich and sustainable society," is focusing not only on reducing carbon dioxide emissions during the production and use of its motorcycles, automobiles, and general-purpose products, but also on developing products that enable energy generation at home, such as smart grids and solar cells. If this installation plan is successful, it will mark a significant step towards the company's ultimate goal of achieving a "zero environmental impact society."

Honda
http://www.honda.co.jp/