2008
First in the world to achieve cumulative production of 2 GW of solar cells

At the end of 2007, Sharp was the first company in the world to achieve a cumulative total of 2 GW (gigawatts) of solar power production. Research was started on solar cells in 1959 as the "next new technology after TV", and mass production successfully began in 1963. The 2 GW mark was achieved 49 years later, in 2008. At present, the world's total cumulative production of solar cells stands at 8 GW (source: Sharp forecast based on IEA PVPS 2007), so Sharp products account for about 25% of the world's current solar cells.