Hot on the heels of its recent market success in Japan, Sharp Electronics Corp. has doubled the capacity of its Memphis, Tenn., photovoltaic manufacturing plant to meet rising U.S. demand for solar energy.

“It’s flipped on its head,” said Marc Cortez, director of marketing for Sharp. “All the manufacturers have been sold out for months on end, demand has gone through the roof. Everyone’s been working to increase capacity.” Cortez said much of the new interest in solar energy has come from residential customers.

“Before, it used to be technical people selling gadgets - technical guys selling to technical guys,” he said. Now, the market is expanding. “You’re talking to folks about their business … and then they get interested in putting these things on their home.”

To keep pace with the new market, Sharp’s Camas, Wash., research facility has been tasked with making solar designs friendlier for everyday residential customers.

In June, Sharp plans to roll out solar collecting roof tiles that integrate with conventional shingles. “Aesthetics have always been sort of an issue with solar,” said Cortez. “These would actually replace your roof. The lines are much smoother.” The tiles are set to be introduced first in California.

Sharp also plans to introduce display monitors that would show residential users the energy produced by their system. Cortez said Sharp wants the new technologies to make solar energy “real” for its residential customers.

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