Au Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of Japanese conglomerate KDDI, announced on November 19 an investment plan to develop nine high-voltage battery energy storage units. The projects will be deployed in the Chubu, Kansai and Kyushu regions, with the first batch expected to be commissioned by the end of 2026.
Three initial projects expected online in 2026
Three sites are currently under construction in the Chubu transmission system operator (TSO) area. They are being developed in partnership with JPN ENERGY Integrated System and will each have a capacity of 2 megawatts (MW) and 8.2 megawatt-hours (MWh). These facilities will use PowerX Mega Power 2700A battery systems.
The first site, located in Gero, Gifu Prefecture, is expected to go online in the first half of 2026. The two others, planned for Seto (Aichi Prefecture) and Takayama (Gifu Prefecture), will follow in the second half of the year.
Six additional units across three regions
In parallel, au Renewable Energy is directly overseeing the development of six more units without external partnerships. Two will be built in Mie Prefecture, while the other four will be located in Kyoto, Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Oita prefectures. Each facility will have a capacity of 2MW/8MWh.
Engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) responsibilities have been assigned to JFE Technos. Battery systems will be supplied by TMEIC. All six projects will follow a standardised configuration to reduce construction time and optimise maintenance.
Expanding portfolio following Oyama commissioning
These new developments add to au Renewable Energy’s only operational asset to date: the 2MW/5.6MWh Oyama Power Storage Station, commissioned in August 2025 in Tochigi Prefecture.
The company also plans to launch its first extra high-voltage facility in Mie Prefecture, with commissioning scheduled for April 2027. This expansion signals the company’s increasing investment in regional grid-scale storage infrastructure.
