Sharp to invest $729 million in new solar cell plant

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Sharp said in July it would build the world's largest solar cell plant by March 2010, along with a 380 billion yen liquid crystal display (LCD) panel plant, but it did not disclose the size of capital investments for the solar cell factory.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese consumer electronics maker Sharp Corp <6753.T> said on Thursday it would spend 72 billion yen ($729 million) to build a new solar cell plant in Sakai, western Japan.

Sharp said in July it would build the world's largest solar cell plant by March 2010, along with a 380 billion yen liquid crystal display (LCD) panel plant, but it did not disclose the size of capital investments for the solar cell factory.

Sharp competes with Germany's Q-Cells <QCEG.DE> in solar cells. Solar companies around the world are expanding production capacity rapidly to meet growing demand for green energy to counter global warming.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka)

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