List of japan s pumped hydro energy storage projects announced

How many pumped hydro projects are there in Japan?

Japan currently has three major pumped hydro projects in various stages of completion, including one serving Tokyo that will have the world’s third-largest pumped-storage power capacity when fully online. Utilities are also making investments in existing plants so they are more responsive to contemporary energy needs.

How many battery energy storage projects have been awarded in Japan?

In Japan’s first competitive auctions for low-carbon energy capacity, more than a gigawatt of bids from battery storage project developers have been successful. The awarded contracts total 1.67GW, including 32 battery energy storage system (BESS) projects totalling 1.1GW and three pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) projects totalling 577MW.

Why are Japanese utilities investing in pumped hydro power plants?

Utilities are also making investments in existing plants so they are more responsive to contemporary energy needs. Japan already has the world’s second largest pumped hydro generating capacity and by far the largest per capita.

Will pumped storage hydropower bring balance and stability to Japan's grid?

Pumped storage hydropower, a late 19th century technology that was largely ignored by the markets for decades, is now emerging as pivotal to bringing balance and stability to Japan’s grid as the nation both reboots nuclear energy and moves to rely more on solar and wind generation.

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.

What is Renova-Himeji battery energy storage system?

The Renova-Himeji Battery Energy Storage System is a 15,000kW lithium-ion battery energy storage project located in Himeji, Hyogo, Japan. The rated storage capacity of the project is 48,000kWh. The electro-chemical battery storage project uses lithium-ion battery storage technology. The project will be commissioned in 2025.