TOKYO, June 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- National Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: NSM) today announced it has started shipping its SolarMagic(TM) power optimizers in Japan. The company also announced that West Holdings, Japan's leading company in environment-compatible home remodeling and improvement businesses such as photovoltaic (PV) systems, all-electric home appliances and house insulation services, has become its first Japanese PV business partner. West Holdings began selling SolarMagic power optimizers on June 22 through House Care, one of its member companies.
Built upon National's analog and power management circuits, the SolarMagic power optimizer is a new product that provides great benefits to homeowners by dramatically improving the design flexibility of solar installations. In Japan's crowded urban areas, many houses have small and complicated roofs that often face problems with shade caused by structural objects such as skyscrapers, neighboring houses and power lines. Power optimizers make it easier to design around these challenges, enabling more homes in Japan to effectively access solar power.
"With PV playing such an important role in Japan both ecologically and economically, we at National are very excited about our SolarMagic power optimizers and their potential to bring solar to more Japanese homeowners," said Jeff Waters, regional vice president, National Semiconductor Corp. "No longer will obstacles like a small south-facing roof or neighboring trees necessarily mean the end of a Japanese homeowner's dream to get PV installed."
National entered the photovoltaic market in June 2008 with the launch of its SolarMagic technology. Demonstrating its commitment to solar, the company has conducted extensive product testing of its SolarMagic power optimizer and signed partnerships with solar dealers and distributors around the world including Real Goods Solar, Inc., AEE Solar, TECNO-LARIO and Solar del Valle. Over the past year, National acquired a solar firm, ActSolar, Inc. and announced SolarMagic had passed rigorous testing and received compliance certifications including UL1741 and IEC 61010 (safety), FCC Part 15 and EN 61000 (emissions) and IED 60529 and NEMA250-2003 (environmental). In field trials with Germany's HaWi Energietechnik AG, SolarMagic recovered more than 54 percent of energy lost to partial shading and recently won the prestigious 2009 Intersolar Award, which acknowledged the power optimizer's innovation and effectiveness in photovoltaics.
National will demonstrate its SolarMagic power optimizers at its PV Japan booth (#4B-515). The exhibition at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan, runs June 24-26, 2009.
Availability
National introduced SolarMagic power optimizers in Europe and North America on May 27, 2009, and they are now available to customers in Japan. End user prices will be set by contracted installers or distributors. For more information, visit www.solarmagic.com.
About National Semiconductor
National Semiconductor is a leader in analog power management technology. Its products include easy-to-use integrated circuits, PowerWise(R) products that enable more energy-efficient systems, and SolarMagic products which improve the energy output of solar arrays. The company celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., National reported sales of $1.46 billion for fiscal 2009. Additional information is available at www.national.com.
National Semiconductor and PowerWise are registered trademarks and SolarMagic is a trademark of National Semiconductor Corporation. All other brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
Media Contacts:
LuAnn Jenkins Ikuko Tanaka
National Semiconductor National Semiconductor Japan
(408) 721-2440 +81-3-5639-7488
luann.jenkins@nsc.com Ikuko.Tanaka@nsc.com
Web site: http://www.national.com/
