Japans Kyocera is preparing to ramp-up its activity in the U.S. residential solar market as the company seeks profitable avenues outside of its domestic market of Japan.

Despite having posted a $66 million first half profit in the companys ceramics division  which includes solar  sales actually fell 8.9% during that period, prompting Kyocera president Goro Yamaguchi to announce the companys intention to seek greater sales in the U.S. residential sector. In October 2014 the company teamed with energy optimization company Stem to roll out an integrated energy storage solution to the commercial sector.

"There is growing need for energy storage in the U.S. residential market," he said. Kyocera has been selling its litihium-ion batteries in its home market of Japan for a few years, and is set to shift around 100,000 battery units in this market by the end of the fiscal year.

Yamaguchi believes this demand can be replicated in the U.S., where the company can deliver a solar+storage package. In the 12 months to the end of March 31, Japans fiscal year, Kyoceras solar business drew 10% of its revenue from overseas markets. For the current fiscal year it hopes to have doubled that to 20%, the president confirmed.

Earlier this year Kyocera expanded its storage offering in Germany, partnering with German distributor Energetik Solartechnologie-Vertriebs GmbH, as well as data monitoring provider Solare Datensysteme.

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