Kansai Electric puts on stream 10-MW solar park - report

Sep 12, 2011 - Japanese utility Kansai Electric Power Company Inc's (TYO:9503) 10-MW solar power plant in Sakai last week started full operation, daily Nikkei reported.

The facility, said to be the biggest working solar park in Japan, is estimated to produce enough power to meet the needs of 3,000 households. Covering 210,000 sq m (2.3 million sq ft) in Osaka prefecture, the plant was built with thin-film solar modules supplied by Sharp Corp (TYO:6753).

At the same time, Kansai is currently testing at a nearby substation a supply-demand control system based on nickel-metal hydride batteries as it seeks to smoothly integrate solar power installations into the grid.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) projects have grown rather attractive in Japan following the March 11 disaster. Several domestic companies, including mobile operator Softbank Corp, Tokio Marine Asset Management and Mitsui & Co have also unveiled plans to build large-scale solar projects. A bill that will see utilities purchase all renewable energy produced by third parties at fixed rates was recently given the green light by Japan's upper house of parliament.

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