Sanyo Electric Co., the world's largest rechargeable-battery maker, and Nippon Oil Corp. said Friday they each hold 50 percent of a venture established to tap demand for solar-battery panels.
The venture, set up Friday, will make solar-battery panels using so-called thin-film technology, Sanyo and Nippon Oil, Japan's largest refiner, said in a statement.
The companies said they plan to begin sales at the venture in the year starting April 2010.
Sanyo and Nippon Oil first disclosed the plan on Sept. 30 and said they aimed to set up the venture in April.