Argus Media Limited

09/07/2022 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/06/2022 21:30

Japan looks to storage batteries to boost renewables

Japan is gearing up to introduce stationary storage batteries in the domestic market, boosting renewable power capacity as part of the country's decarbonisation drive.

Storage batteries are deemed as a necessary back-up power source in Japan, to expand the use of unstable weather-dependent renewables and reduce the country's reliance on thermal power generation. The government sees the technology as vital to push forward with its GX green transformation initiative towards its 2050 carbon neutral goal.

Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida in late August called for further discussions to accelerate the introduction of stationary storage batteries, along with the expansion of the country's power grid systems, to boost renewable capacity, especially offshore wind power facilities. Kishida aims to formulate detailed measures for the GX strategy by the end of this year, including a future policy for nuclear that is another zero emissions power source.

The government push may further spur the private sector's involvement in storage batteries, along with batteries for domestic production of electric vehicles. An increasing number of Japanese firms have invested in storage battery projects, including large-scale energy storage plants.

Japanese utility Kansai Electric Power and financial services firm Orix are planning to jointly build a 48MW energy storage plant in west Japan's Wakayama prefecture, by connecting the storage batteries to power grid networks. This will allow for storing of surplus renewable electricity and an ability to discharge it when there is a supply shortfall. The companies aim to start operations in April 2024.

Fellow utility Kyushu Electric Power, trading house Mitsubishi and renewable power developer NTT Anode Energy are also working together to launch a grid-scale battery storage with a 1.4MW power conditioner in south Japan's Fukuoka prefecture in February 2023 to make effective use of excess solar power output.

Japan plans to increase the share of renewables in the national power mix to 36-38pc by the April 2030-March 2031 fiscal year, in line with the country's target to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 46pc by 2030-31 against 2013-14 levels ahead of its 2050 carbon neutral goal. The renewable goal was revised up from the previous 2030-31 target of 22-24pc and double the actual share of 18pc in 2019-20.

By Motoko Hasegawa