Sharp Energy Solutions is combining high-efficiency solar technology, battery storage and intelligent energy management to strengthen energy security in Japan and beyond, while building integrated renewable systems for homes, businesses, electric vehicles, stratospheric platforms and satellites.
Sharp Energy Solutions Corporation is the Sharp Group company responsible for its solar power business. Based in Yao, Osaka Prefecture, it provides residential solar, battery storage and home energy management systems alongside industrial solar engineering, construction, maintenance and large-scale power generation. Drawing on Sharp’s more than 60 years of solar experience, the company supports projects from household rooftops to satellites and utility-scale installations across Asia.
Japan’s energy future sits at the intersection of energy security, industrial competitiveness, and decarbonization. The country remains heavily dependent on imported energy, particularly from the Middle East, while renewable energy still represents a relatively limited share of the national energy mix. At the same time, global energy demand is expected to continue rising steadily through the end of the decade, increasing pressure on governments and industry leaders to secure stable and sustainable power supplies. Against this backdrop, many Japanese corporations are accelerating investments into renewable energy, grid modernization, and next generation energy systems. From your perspective, how do you see the global energy market evolving over the next four to five years, and what role will renewable energy play in Japan’s long term economic and energy strategy?
The share of renewable energy will certainly continue to increase over the coming years. When we speak with major Japanese electric power companies, there is already a clear understanding that thermal power generation must gradually be reduced and replaced with renewable energy sources. This is no longer simply an environmental discussion. It has become directly tied to energy security, industrial competitiveness, and the long term stability of national economies.
In line with that broader shift, we are also expanding our solar power business. Personally, the reason I entered the solar energy business was because Japan does not possess significant natural resources. I have always believed that solar power can become Japan’s equivalent of an oil field. My vision was to create more and more “oil fields” within Japan through solar energy generation. That idea became one of the foundations of our renewable energy strategy.
As a result, I believe solar power, wind power, and renewable energy overall will continue expanding rapidly. This direction is supported not only by government policy, but also by industry itself. Japanese corporations increasingly recognize that energy transition is essential both for sustainability and for maintaining competitiveness in the global economy. Renewable energy is no longer viewed as an optional supplement to the traditional energy system. It is becoming a central pillar of future industrial growth and national resilience.
As countries around the world pursue green transformation strategies, Japan is increasingly being recognized for its strengths in manufacturing quality, operational efficiency, and advanced system integration. Many industry observers believe Japan could play a leading role in shaping next generation energy systems, particularly through innovations in efficiency, smart infrastructure, and industrial collaboration. Do you agree with this assessment, and what do you believe are Japan’s greatest strengths as the world transitions toward a more decentralized and intelligent energy economy?
I do agree with that assessment. One of Japan’s greatest strengths is quality. That applies not only to hardware manufacturing, but also to software, operational systems, and long term reliability. Japanese companies have historically placed great importance on precision, consistency, durability, and continuous improvement. I believe those strengths remain extremely valuable as energy systems become more advanced and interconnected.
Another major strength is Japan’s culture of partnership and collaboration. Japanese companies tend to work closely together across industries and supply chains, and that creates an environment where cooperation is easier. In the context of green transformation, the ability to collaborate across sectors is extremely important because next generation energy systems require coordination between utilities, manufacturers, technology companies, infrastructure providers, and governments.
I also believe Japan has accumulated significant expertise in efficiency and system optimization. As energy systems become more decentralized and more dependent on real time management, the ability to integrate technologies efficiently will become increasingly important. Japan has strong capabilities in these areas, and I believe those strengths position the country well for the future energy transition.
Global electrification is accelerating rapidly, driven by artificial intelligence infrastructure, data centers, electric vehicle adoption, and broader digital transformation. As a result, power systems are facing unprecedented pressure, increasing the need for advanced grid integration, aggregation technologies, real time optimization, and sophisticated energy control systems. While Europe has moved ahead in some areas, many experts see Asia as the next major frontier for energy system innovation. In this environment, what role do you believe Japan can play in helping shape the next generation of energy infrastructure across Asia?
Europe is ahead in certain areas, so it is difficult to make a direct comparison. However, within Asia, I believe Japan is among the most advanced countries when it comes to control technologies, system integration, and energy management devices.
One important strength is the close relationship between Japanese companies and electric utilities. We are already working closely together to address current grid related challenges, including system balancing, renewable integration, and overall grid stability. This cooperative approach allows us to develop solutions more effectively.
Looking ahead, one of the key areas we are focusing on is aggregation. As renewable energy penetration increases, aggregation and demand balancing technologies will become increasingly important across Asia. Countries throughout the region are still in relatively early stages of renewable integration compared to Europe, so there is a significant opportunity to apply advanced Japanese technologies and operational expertise to those markets.
I believe Japan’s role will not only be to provide products, but also to contribute know how related to control systems, optimization, and overall energy management. Those areas will become increasingly important as power systems become more complex and more decentralized.
The renewable energy industry is increasingly moving beyond standalone hardware toward integrated lifecycle solutions that combine solar generation, battery storage, EPC services, electricity retail, and long term energy management. Sharp appears to be pursuing a particularly comprehensive approach across the energy value chain. For international readers evaluating the future of renewable energy infrastructure, why do you believe an integrated end to end model offers greater long term value than a lower cost modular approach focused primarily on equipment sales?
Our strength is that although we are a manufacturer, we are also involved in power generation businesses, PPA businesses, EPC operations, and energy services. In Japan, there are very few manufacturers operating across such a broad portion of the value chain.
By connecting all of these businesses together, we want to create a circular business model. For example, revenue generated through electricity retail can be reinvested upstream into product development and innovation, which then creates additional value throughout the system. This creates stronger long term sustainability for the business and for customers as well.
We believe that integrated systems create greater efficiency, better optimization, and stronger long term reliability compared to isolated products. As energy systems become more complex, customers increasingly need solutions that work seamlessly together rather than separate technologies operating independently.
If we can successfully establish this model in Japan, we would like to expand similar value chains internationally. However, international expansion is challenging because regulations, grid requirements, and market conditions differ significantly from country to country. Adapting these systems locally requires substantial time and resources.
Sharp has also expanded its activities across Southeast Asia, including markets such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Philippines. As renewable energy demand rises throughout the region, companies entering these markets must navigate highly diverse regulatory frameworks, grid systems, and local business environments. Looking at Southeast Asia over the next decade, where do you see the greatest long term opportunity for renewable energy development, and what makes that market particularly attractive from your perspective?
Personally, I believe the Philippines represents one of the most attractive markets in Southeast Asia. Many countries in the region have various restrictions that can make business operations more difficult for overseas companies. The Philippines, however, has been relatively open to foreign manufacturers and international participation, and I believe that openness creates significant long term potential.
Another important factor is geography. Because the Philippines is an island nation, renewable energy solutions are particularly well suited to its energy needs. Decentralized renewable systems can play an important role in improving energy access, stability, and resilience.
We are already building relationships and partnerships within the country, and through those networks we believe we are in a position to develop broader value chain activities, including EPC and PPA businesses. In the future, we are also considering establishing a local subsidiary there.
At the same time, expansion across Southeast Asia requires careful localization. Every country has different legal systems, grid connection requirements, and regulatory structures. Successfully adapting to those differences takes time, but we believe the long term opportunity remains significant.
Sharp’s involvement in solar technology extends far beyond terrestrial applications. The company has a long history in space grade solar cells dating back to the 1970s, and its technologies have since been deployed on more than 180 satellites, including lunar exploration missions. As the global space economy expands and demand grows for high performance energy systems in communications satellites and aerospace infrastructure, how is Sharp leveraging its expertise from extreme space environments to support both future space applications and terrestrial energy innovation?
We have accumulated a very long history and substantial technical expertise in space related solar technology. That experience has given us important knowledge about reliability, durability, and performance under extremely demanding conditions.
Today, we are already collaborating with automobile manufacturers on vehicle mounted solar cells. We are conducting demonstrations together with Toyota and Nissan, and we have accumulated a considerable amount of operational data through those projects.
We also provide solar cells for HAPS platforms, which are high altitude stratospheric communication systems. These are aircraft like platforms that operate in the stratosphere and function as communications infrastructure.
Looking ahead, we believe communications satellites, particularly low Earth orbit satellites, will become the primary growth driver for our space solar business. The expansion of global communications infrastructure, space connectivity, and satellite networks is creating growing demand for advanced solar technologies.
We also intend to continue expanding internationally. The future opportunity for space related solar technology is not limited to Japan, and we would like to contribute globally in this field.
As conventional silicon solar cells approach their theoretical efficiency limits, the industry is increasingly turning its attention toward next generation technologies such as tandem perovskite solar cells. This is particularly important in countries like Japan, where land constraints and limited rooftop space make higher energy density increasingly valuable. Sharp has identified tandem perovskite technology as a key future growth area and is targeting commercialization around 2027. Where do you see the first major commercial opportunities emerging for this technology, and what advantages do you believe Sharp has in bringing it to market successfully?
Our goal is to achieve efficiencies of 30 percent or higher through tandem perovskite technology. Initially, we want to introduce this technology into the residential market because residential applications are especially important in Japan, where rooftop space is limited and energy efficiency per square meter is extremely valuable.
Once efficiency, reliability, and product lifespan are fully verified, we would then expand the technology into industrial applications such as large scale ground mounted solar power facilities.
If this technology becomes commercially viable, it could nearly double power generation compared to current systems. Even in a country like Japan, where available land is limited, that would allow significantly more power generation from the same physical space.
For example, a conventional residential system today may generate approximately 5 kilowatts at around 20 percent efficiency. With perovskite technology reaching approximately 30 percent efficiency, that could increase to around 7.5 kilowatts. At that level, a household could potentially balance its own energy generation and consumption and move much closer to achieving residential carbon neutrality.
At this stage, however, international expansion plans are still under discussion. The Japanese government currently places strong emphasis on a “Made in Japan” approach, so future international strategies will need to be considered carefully over time.
China currently dominates global solar manufacturing capacity, and international competition within the renewable energy sector is becoming increasingly intense as worldwide solar deployment accelerates. At the same time, energy supply chains are becoming more interconnected, and collaboration across borders is increasingly necessary to scale production, innovation, and infrastructure deployment. In this environment, how important do you believe international partnerships and collaboration will be for the future competitiveness of Japanese renewable energy companies?
International partnerships are already extremely important, and I believe they will continue becoming more important in the future. We are already conducting business through partnerships with various companies, including Chinese manufacturers, and I do not believe that trend will change.
The renewable energy industry is global by nature. Supply chains, manufacturing, technology development, and infrastructure deployment increasingly require international cooperation. No single country can completely isolate itself within this industry.
At the same time, partnerships allow companies to combine different strengths. Some companies may have manufacturing scale, while others may have technological expertise, quality advantages, or advanced system integration capabilities. I believe successful collaboration across borders will continue to play an essential role in the future growth of the renewable energy sector.
Residential energy systems are undergoing a major transformation. Homes are increasingly evolving into intelligent energy hubs that combine solar generation, battery storage, EV charging, V2H systems, and artificial intelligence driven optimization platforms. Many experts believe this sector could become one of the defining components of the future energy economy. From your perspective, do you see residential energy evolving toward standardized systems, or toward more customized and integrated ecosystems centered around advanced energy management services?
I believe these systems will increasingly become standardized, particularly in Japan. Major homebuilders are already making solar installation standard in the vast majority of new homes. Once solar becomes standard, battery storage naturally follows, and as electric vehicle adoption expands, systems such as V2H will also become increasingly common.
Our COCORO ENERGY platform is already one of Japan’s leading energy related services, and I believe this type of integrated ecosystem will continue expanding in the future.
As these technologies become more widespread, homes themselves will increasingly function as energy management hubs. Generation, storage, charging, and optimization will all become interconnected within a single system. That integration will improve energy efficiency while also helping households manage costs and reduce carbon emissions.
Over time, I believe these technologies will become part of the standard residential environment rather than specialized systems for only certain consumers.
As renewable energy systems become more sophisticated and interconnected, there is also growing concern about usability and accessibility, particularly for older consumers or users unfamiliar with advanced technologies. At the same time, policy uncertainty and shifting government priorities continue to create challenges for long term industry planning worldwide. Looking ahead, what do you believe will be the greatest barriers to mass renewable energy adoption, and how can the industry overcome them to make these systems more accessible and easier for consumers to use?
One of the biggest obstacles may actually be government policy. Energy policies can change dramatically depending on political leadership and national priorities. For example, changes related to the Paris Agreement in the United States created major uncertainty for the industry. Those types of policy shifts can significantly affect long term investment and business planning.
Another challenge is complexity. Renewable energy systems are becoming increasingly advanced, integrating solar panels, storage batteries, EV charging systems, and energy optimization platforms. For many consumers, especially elderly users, these systems can feel difficult to understand or manage.
I believe automation will become the key solution. Artificial intelligence and automated control systems will allow energy systems to optimize themselves without requiring users to understand the technical details. Customers should not need specialized knowledge in order to benefit from renewable energy technologies.
Ultimately, the goal is to create systems that automatically operate in the most efficient and optimal way possible while remaining simple and convenient for consumers. I believe that level of automation and user friendliness will be essential for achieving widespread adoption.
Finally, Newsweek reaches readers across 59 countries, including corporate sustainability leaders, infrastructure investors, policymakers, renewable energy executives, and global industry stakeholders who are actively shaping the future of the international energy transition. If you had to define Sharp’s role within that future global energy landscape in a single message to the international community, how would you describe the company’s long term mission and identity?
We want to be recognized as a leading company in renewable energy, especially in solar energy. Our goal is not simply to manufacture products, but to contribute to the broader transformation of global energy systems through innovation, reliability, and long term value creation.
We believe renewable energy will play a central role in the future global economy, and we want Sharp to contribute meaningfully to that transition through advanced solar technologies, integrated energy solutions, and sustainable infrastructure development.
In simple terms, Sharp aims to be a global leader in solar power and renewable energy solutions.
The Worldfolio provides business, industrial and financial news about global economies, with a focus on understanding them from within.
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