SALA Energy announced the completion of its first grid-scale battery energy storage system, the SALA Hamamatsu Storage Station, with a capacity of 11.4MW/69.6MWh. The facility is set to begin operation on October 15, marking a strategic milestone for the Japanese operator in the development of advanced storage infrastructure.
An alternative storage technology to lithium-ion
Unlike most large-scale storage projects, which rely on lithium-ion systems, the facility uses sodium-sulfur (NAS) batteries supplied by NGK Insulators. The site was built on the grounds of the company’s supply centre in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. The system will be aggregated by Chubu Electric Power Miraiz, a subsidiary of Chubu Electric Power.
Public and bank financing support
The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan (METI) awarded a JPY1.2bn ($8.02mn) subsidy for the project as part of its FY2022 supplementary budget programme for large-scale storage development. Additionally, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation provided a five-year green loan of JPY2.2bn ($14.7mn) at the end of 2023 to fund construction and initial operations.
Second project underway in Toyohashi
In addition to the high-voltage facility, SALA Energy is also set to commission a 2MW/7.5MWh system later this month, co-located with its 666kWAC solar power plant in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture. This development is part of a broader JPY7bn ($46.7mn) investment plan into storage systems and power purchase agreements (PPAs) through the FY2030 timeline.
The project reflects SALA Energy’s ambitions to strengthen its position in the storage sector by leveraging alternative technical solutions and hybrid financing models.
