Construction completed for 100 MW solar PV project in Japan

JUWI Shizen Energy, a joint venture of JUWI and Shizen Energy, has completed construction of the 100 MW Azuma Kofuji solar park in Fukushima City, Japan. The solar park construction began in August 2020 and was completed in September 2022. After successful connection to the grid, Canadian Solar has already commenced operations. The solar park is spread over 186 ha several sub-areas and will produce about 107 million kWh of electricity annually, enough to power around 31,000 Japanese households.

The Azuma Kofuji solar park is a key step towards increasing Japan's renewable energy sources. As per the International Energy Agency (IEA), Japan solely relies on three non-renewable energy sources, namely coal, natural gas, and petroleum, for about 96% of its electricity generation, making the need for increased solar panel installations paramount. Furthermore, since the Fukushima nuclear disaster of 2011, there has been a significant increase in the deployment of renewable energy sources in Japan to secure its energy future.

The successful completion of the Fukushima project is an indication that the country is growing its renewable energy capacity. The project is a milestone for Shizen Energy, which seeks to supply renewable energy to 500,000 households by March 2023. The Azuma Kofuji solar park will further contribute to the country's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and promote the development of a low-carbon economy.