The Hirohara Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is located in Oaza Hirohara, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture. The 30MW/120MWh battery is Eku's first in Japan, and the company has agreed a 20-year offtake agreement for the project with Tokyo Gas. Contact online >>
The Hirohara Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is located in Oaza Hirohara, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture. The 30MW/120MWh battery is Eku''s first in Japan, and the company has agreed a 20-year offtake agreement for the project with Tokyo Gas.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2024 and the battery is expected to begin operating in 2026. Once live the BESS will be capable of storing enough electricity to power approximately 63,000 households for four hours1.
Project financing has been arranged by MUFG Bank representing the first battery storage project they have arranged finance for in Japan. Under the offtake agreement, Eku Energy will own the BESS while Tokyo Gas will own 100% of its operating rights for 20 years, with Eku Energy responsible for the ongoing maintenance of the facility.
As the global net zero transition accelerates, Japan has introduced its GX (green transformation)policy which provides a roadmap for economic growth and emissions reductions. Increasing renewable generation is a vital part of this roadmap and battery storage has a critical role to play in balancing electricity supply and demand.
1 The Electricity consumed by a household per day is calculated as 11.4kWh. (Source: Ministry of the Environment 2013 Report on Actual Electricity Consumption in Households). Based on estimated population of Miyazaki City as of April 2024 (Source: Miyazaki City)
At Eku, we take community engagement and benefits sharing seriously. We want to ensure that our Williamsdale BESS grants program has long-lasting, positive impact on the community around Tuggeranong.
[A] Employment and education: Initiatives that support educational or employment outcomes (e.g. literacy; numeracy; science, technology, engineering and maths).
Global energy storage specialist, Eku Energy, has announced the Hirohara Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) located in Oaza Hirohara, Miyazaki City, Miyazaki Prefecture. The 30MW/120MWh battery is Eku''s first in Japan, and the company has agreed a 20-year offtake agreement for the project with Tokyo Gas.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2024 and the battery is expected to begin operating in July 2026. Once live the BESS will be capable of storing enough electricity to power approximately 63,000 households for four hours.
As the global net zero transition accelerates, Japan has introduced its GX (green transformation) policy which provides a roadmap for economic growth and emissions reductions. Increasing renewable generation is a vital part of this roadmap and battery storage has a critical role to play in balancing electricity supply and demand.
Eku Energy is working across the full project life cycle to develop, build, and manage battery storage assets globally, with a presence in the UK, Australia, Japan and Italy. The company aims to grow its battery storage portfolio in Japan and support the country''s GX targets by combining its global expertise, technology and commercial knowledge.
It''s the biggest battery energy storage system (BESS) asset announced in the country to date, although it will be a while before it comes online – Gurin Energy said the project''s development will take about six years and the company is expecting construction to begin in 2026.
Gurin will build and operate the plant, using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The BESS equipment will be supplied by Japan''s Toshiba Mitsubishi – Electric Industrial Systems Corporation (TMEIC), while engineering consulting services by another Japanese company, Nippon Koei Energy Solutions.
Marking Gurin Energy''s entry into Japan, the announcement made on Friday (15 December) comes amid promising signs of life for the Asian country''s grid-scale BESS market, which has lagged in pace of development behind more mature markets like the UK, US or neighbours China and South Korea.
The developer is setting up an office in Tokyo. It hasn''t yet selected a site for its 2GWh BESS, but said it is "considering a number of locations" in either Fukushima prefecture or Tochigi prefecture, both a few hours drive directly north of the capital city.
Energy-Storage.news has sent the developer a few questions about the drivers behind the project and its Japan market entry, and hopes to update this story in due course upon receiving replies.
Japan is targeting renewables to make up 36% to 38% of its electricity generation mix by 2030, reduce emissions by 46% by that time and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As Gurin Energy pointed out in a release, this has been modelled to require about 10GW of energy storage by the end of this decade.
At the moment, revenue streams available to battery storage are relatively limited but are opening up through technology advances as well as policy and regulatory progress. For instance, large-scale grid-connected BESS has recently become eligible to participate in buying and selling wholesale electricity in the spot market on the Japan Electric Power Exchange (JEPX).
These big picture drivers have led to developments including the recent launch of Japan''s first-ever fund dedicated to investing in front-of-the-meter BESS, set to be co-managed by Gore Street Capital, which founded one of the UK''s first funds of that type.
Just a few days ago, US vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology specialist Nuvve announced that it had been selected to manage 30MWh of stationary battery storage assets in Japan. One thing Nuvve and Gore Street have in common is that they will both be partnered with major Japanese corporate players.
This has traditionally been seen as key to successful market entry in Japanese industry, and energy storage is no exception. Gore Street''s Japanese fund co-manager Itochu Corporation has also formed a partnership to develop projects in the country with Akaysha Energy, the Australian energy storage developer backed by Blackrock.
Chinese solar PV and battery manufacturers have also been ramping up their interest in Japan recently, with battery maker CATL this summer ordering a BESS solution from Hitachi Energy for a large-scale project, and PV manufacturer Jinko Solar receiving orders for a handful of megawatt-scale projects a few weeks ago.
About Gravity energy storage japan
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Gravity energy storage japan have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Gravity energy storage japan for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Gravity energy storage japan featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
