It's Always Sunny in Japan: 100 Megawatts of Solar Energy Plants to be Built

[Bill]

Etrion, Hitachi Plan 100 Megawatts of Japan Solar-Energy Plants


By Stephan Nielsen Jan 7, 2014 9:18 AM CT

Etrion Corp. (ETX), a Geneva-based renewable-energy producer, and Hitachi High-Technologies Corp. (8036) plan to develop at least 100 megawatts of solar projects in Japan as the Asian nation seeks to diversify its energy supply.

The companies expect to begin construction on the first plant this year, according to a statement today. Japan wants to boost renewable energy’s share of its total electricity mix to as much as 35 percent by 2030, from 10 percent in 2011, to reduce dependence on nuclear power.

Etrion said in a separate statement that it expects construction of its 8.8-megawatt Aguas Blancas solar park in Chile to be delayed by a year after an expansion to a mine it will supply power to was postponed. The project was planned to begin construction by this quarter.

To contact the reporter on this story: Stephan Nielsen in Sao Paulo at [email protected]

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at [email protected]

I wonder if the Japanese will come up with cost effective battery tech to store that power for use at night?