Gurīn Energy has announced plans to develop, build and operate a battery energy storage system (BESS) in Japan. The planned project is a 500 MW capacity, four-hour BESS that will be able to store up to 2 GWh of electricity. The projected cost of development for the project is $600 million over a six-year period. Construction on the BESS is expected to begin in 2026.
Once operational, the lithium-ion battery (LFP) will store and discharge electricity when needed, enabling grid operators to balance energy demand and generation more quickly and cleanly than conventional methods. The company is considering a number of locations and conducting an assessment to finalise a site for BESS development in either Fukushima or Tochigi prefectures.
Toshiba Mitsubishi Electric Industrial Systems Corporation will supply the BESS solution for the project, and Nippon Koei Energy Solutions will provide engineering consulting. The project will create an estimated 120 jobs over the course of its lifespan.
Gurīn Energy Pte Ltd. is a Singapore-headquartered renewable energy developer. It is focused on the development, ownership and operation of solar, wind and storage assets. The company was founded by its senior management team together with Infratil Ltd., a listed infrastructure investment company that has also established renewable energy platforms in the United States, Europe and Australia, holding a development pipeline of over 30 GW across four continents and 29 markets. Infratil Ltd. is managed by Morrison, a global infrastructure investment company with $30 billion of assets under management.
REGlobal’s Views: Japan is expected to witnessed a major uptake of energy storage systems over the coming years with the increasing renewable energy penetration in the grid. The country has also boosted subsidies for storage making this a more attractive proposition for developer. Thus, many domestic and international players are expected to enter the country’s growing storage space. Meanwhile, Singapore-based Gurin plans to purchase electricity from the market during the day, when solar power is cheap and in surplus, store it in batteries and sell it in the evening.
