News

KYOCERA Expands Solar-Powered Vaccine Refrigerator Product Line

World Health Organization-approved VaccPak offers unprecedented cost savings

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (January 30, 2004) – Kyocera Solar Inc., a world-leading supplier of photovoltaic (PV) systems, today announced that it has expanded its VaccPak line – which includes the world’s most economical solar-powered vaccine refrigeration products - to include the larger capacity (50 liters or more) category.

The new VaccPak XL6000 is the second model in the Kyocera VaccPak series to be approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).   The XL6000 is scheduled to be shipped to Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania in early 2004.

The new XL6000 joins Kyocera’s other solar-powered solutions for meeting human needs, including solar-powered water pumps, lighting kits, telecommunications power equipment and educational support systems. “Once again, Kyocera Solar Inc. is leading the innovation that makes solar power a reality for those who need it most,” said Steve McCarney, International Projects Manager of Kyocera Solar, Inc.   "Kyocera is committed to developing more affordable solutions for advancing the state of health care all over the world.”

The VaccPak is an extremely efficient product that operates on less power than other vaccine refrigerators, reducing the requirement for solar modules and batteries.  The cost efficiency of the system enables health organizations to expand the Vaccine Cold Chain to more remote clinics that are not presently served.  (The Vaccine Cold Chain is a coordinated international effort to preserve vaccine potency from manufacturer to end-user.) The solar-powered systems will replace traditional kerosene refrigeration systems that tend to be unreliable, pollute the environment, and require significantly more maintenance.

Independent test results from the Intertek Research and Testing Centre, a WHO-approved testing facility, show the Kyocera Solar VaccPak XL6000 and XL2100 as having the lowest energy consumption of any solar vaccine refrigerator systems published in WHO guidelines.  Kyocera is also among the few WHO/UNICEF Qualified System Suppliers and has supplied over 1000 solar powered vaccine refrigeration systems worldwide.

\All VaccPak systems are complete and ready for onsite deployment.  Each package includes Kyocera solar modules, long-life batteries, wiring, hardware, a VaccPak refrigerator / icepack freezer and instruction manuals. For more information, contact Kyocera Solar, Inc.’s Medical Refrigeration Team at (239) 395-8838.

Kyocera Solar, Inc. (www.kyocerasolar.com) is a world-leading supplier of environmentally sound, solar electric energy solutions. With operating headquarters in Scottsdale, Ariz., and additional regional sales centers in Brazil and Australia, Kyocera Solar, Inc. serves thousands of customers in both developed and developing regions. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyocera International, Inc. of San Diego, the North American headquarters and holding company for Kyoto, Japan-based Kyocera Corporation.

Kyocera Corporation, the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of advanced ceramics. By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera Corporation has become a leading supplier of solar energy systems, telecommunications equipment, semiconductor packages, electronic components, cameras, laser printers, copiers and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2003, the company’s net sales totaled 1.069 trillion yen ($9.06 billion) with net income of 41.1 billion yen ($348 million).