Honda has been installing solar power generation systems at Honda operations in Japan. The combined capacity of solar power generation systems installed to date has reached 3.3 megawatts, the largest in Japan among all automakers operating. Honda has been already installing solar power generation systems at some Honda automobile dealership locations; however, in order to further extend the effort to reduce CO₂ emissions in the area of sales, Honda made a decision to pursue this large-scale installation of solar power generation systems that includes the installation of a display monitor which shows current power generating situation of solar panels to customers who visit the dealership location.

Furthermore, Honda is planning to install a 2.6-megawatt Honda Soltec solar power generation system to the new Yorii Plant, which is scheduled to become operational in 2013. This will be the largest solar power generation system installed at an automobile production plant in Japan.

Honda Soltec’s CIGS (copper, indium, gallium and selenium) thin-film solar cells require significantly less energy during the manufacturing process and generate more electricity even during cloudy weather or morning and evening hours compared to crystalline silicon solar cells. The CO₂ reduction effect of the planned installation of 1 megawatt of solar power generation system to dealership locations is estimated to be approximately 310 tons.