Why are battery storage projects growing in Japan?

The ramp up of battery storage projects in Japan continues apace, aided by growing subsidy avenues and rising volumes on various electricity markets, from spot to balancing to capacity.

How much battery power does Japan have?

As of March, Japan had 0.23 GW of grid-connected BESS, according to METI. By comparison, China has 75 GW and the U.S. has installed nearly 26 GW of battery storage capacity, according to the Energy Institute.

How big is Japan's battery storage capacity?

Rystad forecasts Japan's battery storage capacity could reach about 4 GW based on projects under construction, planned and awarded, which would require $6 billion in investment.

Can EKU energy commercialise large-scale batteries in Japan?

For Eku Energy, the LTDA is important to the business model of its Japanese projects but the developer, perhaps best known for projects in the UK and Australia, sees three pathways to commercialisation for large-scale batteries in Japan. The company secured a 20-year tolling agreement for its first Japan project, the 30MW/120MWh Hirohara BESS.

Why are Japan and Kyushu so attractive for battery projects?

"Tohoku and Kyushu regions have a lot of renewables, which makes these regions very attractive for battery projects, and that's why there is a lot of contracted and considered projects there already," said Uranulzii Batbayar, a Tokyo-based analyst with Rystad Energy.

How big is Japan's energy storage capacity?

Global energy storage capacity was estimated to have reached 36,735MW by the end of 2022 and is forecasted to grow to 353,880MW by 2030. Japan had 1,671MW of capacity in 2022 and this is expected to rise to 10,074MW by 2030. Listed below are the five largest energy storage projects by capacity in Japan, according to GlobalData’s power database.