Commencement of Testing Services for Renewable Energy Related Equipment
Kobe Testing Center Established as a Dedicated Testing Site

TOKYO, Japan – October 27, 2011 – ORIX Rentec Corporation, a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation, announced today that it will commence performance evaluations and reliability testing services for renewable energy related equipment, including solar panels, at its newly established Kobe Testing Center in Suma-ku, Kobe.

The market for renewable energy, including solar and wind power generation, as an alternative to fossil fuels, and the market for related storage batteries are expanding. In response, demand has been rapidly increasing from manufacturers in Japan and overseas for testing services designed to enhance the reliability, such as long-term durability of products, components and materials. As installing R&D equipment and establishing testing systems become urgent priorities, ORIX Rentec will provide performance evaluations and reliability testing under contract, in addition to offering a full range of specialized testing equipment. Through these services, ORIX Rentec will help customers to reduce equipment installation costs and conduct R&D activities at the same time.

The Kobe Testing Center will be commissioned to perform solar panel tests, storage battery recharging and discharge tests, and reliability evaluation tests. Full-time engineers on staff will conduct long-term durability tests of client products as well as components and materials. Moreover, testing laboratories will also be made available to customers for a given period so that they can freely perform tests and inspections on their own.

The Kobe Testing Center will be equipped with various large-scale testing equipment that meet customers’ product development needs. Leveraging ORIX Rentec’s strengths as Japan’s leading rental company, the Kobe Testing Center will quickly supply various types of measurement equipment that is required for tests from the company’s inventory in support of the testing operations of its customers.

●Outline of Kobe Testing Center

(1) Solar panel testing area
At present, there are only a limited number of sites in Japan that can perform accelerated tests* at panel size. In the Center’s solar panel testing area, a testing environment has been developed for testing solar panels at their actual manufactured sizes.

The Center has the industry’s first testing equipment for large panels: X-ray observation equipment (maximum observation size: 2,000 mm x 1,500 mm) and mechanical load testing equipment (Maximum testing size: 2,000 mm x 1,500 mm). The Center also has high-temperature, high-humidity testing equipment and temperature and humidity cycle testing equipment (internal dimensions: width 1,200 mm x height 2,000 mm x depth 2,200 mm). With this equipment, the Center supports long-term durability testing.

(2) Storage battery recharging and discharging test area
The Center will perform recharging and discharging tests needed to develop large-capacity storage batteries for the solar and wind power generation markets, as well as the electric vehicle and other markets.

(3) Reliability test area
The Center will perform various tests designed to evaluate the environmental performance and durability of products, components and materials, including heat shock tests and condensation and freezing tests. The Center is equipped with large-scale heat shock testing equipment (internal dimensions: width 970 mm x height 460 mm x depth 670 mm), as well as constant temperature and humidity apparatus and other equipment. With this equipment, the Center enables one-stop evaluation assessments ranging from tests to inspections.

Renewable energy-related markets are expected to become increasingly important going forward. Accordingly, ORIX Rentec will provide new services by working to upgrade and expand equipment and enhance its testing technologies at the Kobe Testing Center, with the aim of meeting a diverse range of customer needs.

* A testing method that checks the life cycle of a product by placing it under severe conditions and deliberately speeding up the process of deterioration.

Contact Information
ORIX Corporation, Investor Relations
TEL : +81-3-5419-5042 / Fax : +81-3-5419-5901
URL : http://www.orix.co.jp/grp/en/

About ORIX
ORIX Corporation (TSE: 8591; NYSE: IX) is an integrated financial services group based in Tokyo, Japan, providing innovative value-added products and services to both corporate and retail customers. With operations in 27 countries and regions worldwide, ORIX’s activities include corporate financial services, such as leases and loans, as well as automobile operations, rental operations, real estate, life insurance, banking and loan servicing. For more details, please visit our website at:  http://www.orix.co.jp/grp/en/