amid growing awareness of the need for environmental protection and energy conservation measures, consumer electronics firms in Japan are lining up to enter the market for solar-power generation systems.

Manufacturers are especially targeting the market for residential solar-power generation systems, encouraged by the Japanese ministry of international trade and industry's (miti) subsidy offer. The number of applications for the miti subsidy offer topped 10,000 in the current fiscal year. The subsidy programme has unearthed latent demand for solar-power generators and sales are projected to reach us $800-$1,600 million by the year 2000.

The Kyoto-based Kyocera Corp has established Kyocera Solar Corp to take charge of this strategy. Sanyo Electric Co has set up Sanyo Solar Industries Co. This new company manufactures and markets solar power generation systems. Sharp Corp, which has expanded its market share by offering low-priced systems, has also started a programme for buyers of solar-power generators. The Matsushita Battery Industrial Co too entered the market last year. It has formed a club for customers interested in solar-power generation systems, providing members with detailed information on the systems as well as comprehensive advice on housing. Omron Corp assembles solar-power generators, using its inverters and peripheral equipment with solar cells supplied by a Tokyo company