2 MW Solar in Tsunami-ravaged Area Started Operation in Higashi-Matsushima, Miyagi

Higashi-Matsushima city of Miyagi prefecture, together with the trading company Mitsui, completed its 2.0 MW megasolar station at an old park, which had been hit and destroyed by the tsunami in 2011.

The solar station is named "Kizuna (Bond) Solar Park."

Nikkei: 2013/8/23 20:48
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD230FG_T20C13A8TJ1000/

Tokyo Metro to Install Solar at Eight Stations on Tozai Line

Tokyo Metro is advancing its solar project on the roofs of eight on-the-ground stations on Tozai Line, which basically connect the central Tokyo and its east suburbs in Chiba.

This month the company invested one billion JPY to install or upgrade facilities at four stations.

If the construction completes as planned by the end of 2014, the total output capacity will be one MW and the annual generation one million kWh.

SmartJapan: 2013/08/23 11:50
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/smartjapan/articles/1308/23/news055.html

Report Said Softbank is to Build 40MW Solar in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka

Chunichi Shimbun reported on 22nd that Softbank Group would build a 40 MW solar station in Hamamatsu city of Shizuoka prefecture.

If completed, it will be one of the largest solar facilities in Japan.

However, the public relations section of the company replied to Chunichi that the project was still under consideration and not settled yet.

Chunichi Shimbun: 2013/08/22
http://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/shizuoka/20130822/CK2013082202000094.html

Misawa Homes to Start Selling 10kW Home Solar System

Misawa Homes is going to start selling on 23rd the "Solar Max" series of residential-usage solar system.

The new product can be installed on a house of 2 stories with floor space of more than 99 square meters.

Shinken Housing: 2013/08/21
http://www.s-housing.jp/archives/43526

Amenitech in Chiba to Start Consulting of "Solar Sharing"

The solar panel constructor Amenitech in Chiba city, Chiba, is going to start consulting business to support solar power generation in farmland.

The company will hold seminars on the issue today (22nd) and on 29th at Kisarazu Civic Hall.

Earlier in March this year, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries had eased regulation on solar facilities on agricultural land, which is sometimes called "solar sharing."

Nikkei: 2013/8/21 6:00
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNZO58718840Q3A820C1L71000/
Amenitech (in Japanese)
http://amenitech.jp/

Fuji Electric's New Monitoring Device for Megasolar

Fuji Electric recently developed the new product "PV string monitoring unit," which is able to measure generation output of up to 12 solar strings.

The direct current which the device can monitor is from one to ten amperes.
As for voltage, it can measure from 10 to 1000 volts for each string.

The product costs 120 thousand JPY a unit except installation.

SmartJapan: 2013/08/21 15:00
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/smartjapan/articles/1308/21/news021.html

Kansai Electric Power to Build 47MW Hydro in Indonesia

Kansai Electric Power announced on 20th that it would construct a hydro power station in Indonesia, in cooperation with local companies.

The company will start construction in October and aims to start the operation by July 2016.

The output capacity will be 47 MW.
The electricity will be sold to Indonesia Power for 30 years.

Nikkei: 2013/8/20 19:26
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD200EI_Q3A820C1TJ2000/

Obayashi Started Construction of 9.7MW Solar in Kobe, Hyogo

The construction company Obayashi started building a 9.7 MW solar station in its idle land in Kobe city of Hyogo prefecture.

The station will be completed in September 2014.

And all the electricity to be generated will be sold to Kansai Electric Power.

Sankei Biz: 2013/08/20 17:01
http://www.sankeibiz.jp/business/news/130820/bsd1308201702013-n1.htm

Surge of Solar and Biomass under FiT scheme: April-May 2013

The Agency for Natural Resources and Energy of Japan recently updated after three months the statistics on renewable power facilities approved under the FiT scheme of the country.

According to the report, there was a sudden increase of solar and biomass power which had started operation during April and May this year.

During the same period, the output capacity of 961 thousand kW of non-residential solar power started operation, which has already exceeded the annual amount (706 thousand kW) of last fiscal year.

As for the solar for residential usage, the tendency is close to that of last year.

Biomass stations of 38 thousand kW in total commenced operation in those two months. Moreover, 387 thousand kW was already approved under the FiT and is waiting for completion.

SmartJapan: 2013/08/20 17:11
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/smartjapan/articles/1308/20/news106.html

2.0MW Solar Completed in Higashi-Matsuyama, Saitama

The environment entrepreneur Smart Energy in Tokyo completed the construction of its megasolar station in Higashi-Matsuyama city of Saitama prefecture.

8,000 solar panels were installed at an abandoned farm of 60,000 square meters.

The output is 2.0 MW and all the electricity will be sold to Tokyo Electric Power.
The estimated annual revenue is 88 million JPY.

Nikkei: Area Kanto-Koshin'etsu: 2013/8/19 23:37
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNZO58675570Z10C13A8L72000/

Field Test of Redox Flow Battery Started in Hokkaido

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI) financed and started conducting a field test of redox flow battery produced by Sumitomo Electric.

The test site will be installed in Abira town of Hokkaido prefecture by the end of March 2015.
The battery capacity will be 60 MW scale, which is said to be the biggest in the world.

All the cost of 20 billion JPY is financed by the government.

The test intends to give solutions about stabilization of the grid electricity under current FiT scheme.

SankeiBiz: 2013/08/19 06:00
http://www.sankeibiz.jp/compliance/news/130819/cpd1308190601002-n1.htm
Sumitomo Electric (in English)
http://global-sei.com/

Mitsubishi Corporation to Invest in Solar Stations in France

Mitsubishi Corporation is going to invest in the project of two solar stations by EDF (Électricité de France).
The investment will be 2 billion JPY and the output capacity of the two station 56 MW.

Mitsubishi has already made an equity participation of another solar project of EDF group in January.

Nikkei: 2013/8/18 23:39
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD160KU_Y3A810C1TJC000/

Microhydro Field Test in Akaiwa, Okayama

Akaiwa city municipality in Okayama prefecture, together with the propeller manufacturer Nakashima Propeller and other company, is going to start a field study of microhydro power generation utilizing treated water.

The output capacity of the turbine is around 10 kW.

And the study will last until February 2014.

Yomiuri: Area Okayama: 2013/08/19
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/e-japan/okayama/news/20130818-OYT8T00851.htm
Nakashima Propeller (in English)
http://www.nakashima.co.jp/eng/index.html

Tokyo Hatsuden Started Operation of Microhydro in Hakone, Kanagawa

Tokyo Hatsuden in Tokyo completed the construction of "Sukumogawa Power Plant" in Hakone town of Kanagawa prefecture and started its operation early this month.

The output capacity is 190 kW and the annual generation 1.1 kWh.
All the electricity will be sold to Tokyo Electric Power.

This is the first case of mycrohydro which utilizes the FiT scheme in Hakone.

SankeiBiz: 2013/08/19 06:00
http://www.sankeibiz.jp/business/news/130819/bsd1308190601002-n1.htm

Nippon Koei to Start Microhydro in Indonesia

The Engineering consulting firm Nippon Koei is going to start microhydro business in Indonesia by 2016.

The output capacity will be 7.2 MW. And the total investment is 1.6 billion JPY.

Utilizing the country's FIT scheme, the company will sell the electricity.
The annual sale is estimated to be 300 million JPY.

Nikkei: 2013/8/17 23:43
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD160IH_X10C13A8TJC000/
Nippon Koei (in English)
http://www.n-koei.co.jp/english/

Sharp to Reduce Time for Solar Panel Inspection by 50%

Sharp is going to start a new service of solar panel inspection, which would take 50% less time.

For the case of home solar facility, it would take 1-2 hours.
And the charge for an inspection is estimated to be around 100 thousand JPY.

An inspection machine was newly developed in cooperation with Nihon Kernel System in Osaka, and it should be installed on the solar panel to be examined.

Nikkei: 2013/8/17 23:44
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD160NX_X10C13A8TJC000/