Sharp Corp will spend close to 100 billion yen (US$882.9 million) to build the world's largest solar cell factory in Japan,

It will produce thin-film solar cells, which use less silicon than conventional cells, starting in fiscal 2009

The factory is expected to have a production capacity of 1,000 megawatts per year, the largest in the world.

The Osaka-based company has an annual output capacity of 710 megawatts.