ITOCHU, Mitsubishi Estate, and Tokyo Century break ground on 67MW BESS project in Japan

It will have a storage capacity of 230.1 MWh.

ITOCHU Corporation, Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd., and Tokyo Century Corporation Tokyo Century Corporation have begun construction of a utility-scale battery energy storage facility in Chikuzen-machi, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.

The facility will have a rated output of 67 MW and a storage capacity of 230.1 MWh, with commercial operation planned for fiscal year 2027.

The project aims to support grid stability in Kyushu, where rapid expansion of solar power has increased supply fluctuations due to weather and time-of-day variability.

The storage system will help absorb excess renewable energy and release it during peak demand periods.

The battery facility is expected to store energy equivalent to the daily electricity use of about 20,000 households.

It will operate across Japan’s Capacity Market, Wholesale Electricity Market, and Balancing Market, using AI-based optimisation for charging and discharging to improve efficiency and returns.

The project supports Japan’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal under the government’s Seventh Strategic Energy Plan, as demand for large-scale energy storage continues to grow alongside renewable energy expansion.