Toshiba Corporation, the Japanese electronics and engineering group, has decided to discontinue its residential solar business segment citing growing competition from other companies and will instead concentrate on the commercial and industrial (C&I) segment along with PV cell technology.
The management took the decision to exit the space where it has been present since 2010 after 'comprehensive consideration of future business strategies'. It counts to have sold more than 100,000 residential solar power systems in Japan to date.
However, it will continue to provide after-sales service for its products sold to date through its Xsol business unit after March 15, 2023.
Toshiba will now be focused on the C&I segment where it sees growth and said it will provide a 'highly reliable one-stop solution' to its customers.
It added, "We are also focusing on next-generation solar cells, such as tandem solar cells that achieve high efficiency by stacking solar cells with different properties, and thin and light bendable solar cells that can be used in a variety of locations. We aim to develop a film-type perovskite solar cell that can be installed in a solar cell and put it into practical use."
In September 2021, it claimed the highest power conversion efficiency for large, polymer-film based perovskite solar module with 15.1% for 703 Cm² Large-Area Perovskite Solar Module (see 15.1% Efficiency For Polymer Film Based Perovskite).
Back in early-2021, another Japanese company Panasonic Corporation said it will stop producing solar modules for all business segments at its Malaysia and Shimane, Japan fabs attributing it to fierce competition from Chinese rivals. At the time, it however said in Japan, it will produce modules through manufacturing partners and sell the same under its brand name (see Panasonic Exiting Solar PV Production Business).