JFE Engineering to build solar thermal power plants

Tokyo, Japan — ESI-AFRICA.COM — 07 June 2011 – Japan’s JFE Engineering Corporation “’ a unit of JFE Holdings Incorporated “’ is to enter the solar thermal power plant business, business daily Nikkei reported.

The engineering facilities manufacturer expects US$247.2 to US$$370.8 million in revenue from the sector by 2015, the newspaper said. JFE Engineering expects to have a commercial version of its technology ready by 2012 and sees orders streaming in by 2013, the business daily reported.

The company, which started developing solar thermal technology last year, is ready to invest US$3.75 to US$5 million to build a large-scale pilot plant, the Nikkei said.

The plant will be capable of generating 200 to 300KW of power and will be located in Yokohama, the newspaper reported.