235 MW PV Plant Online In Japan

• Kuni Umi Asset Management has put into commercial operation a 235 MW solar power plant in Okayama prefecture in Japan
• Built using 900,000 polycrystalline silicon solar panels, the Setouchi Kirei Solar Power Plant is located in Setouchi municipality
• Other partners on the project were EFS Japan BV, a subsidiary of GE Energy Financial Services, Toyo Engineering Corporation, Chubu Electric
• Clean power generated by the plant will be procured by Chugoku Electric Power Company

A 235 MW solar power plant in Japan's Okayama prefecture has started commercial operations. Kuni Umi Asset Management Co. Ltd., that brought the Setouchi Kirei Solar Power Plant online, through Setouchi Future Creations LLC, emphasised the project is the country's largest solar PV plant in operation.

On a related note, what is being planned to be the country's largest solar power plant is said to be the proposed 480 MW Ukujima solar power plant that have several companies on board to bring it to fruition (see More Support For 480 MW Japan PV Project).

Spread across 260 hectares of land in Setouchi municipality, the 235 MW Setouchi Kirei Solar Power Plant uses 900,000 polycrystalline silicon solar panels. Power generated from the plant will be enough to cater the electricity requirements of some 80,000 households in a year.

Along with Kuni Umi Asset Management, other investment partners for the project were EFS Japan BV, a subsidiary of GE Energy Financial Services, Toyo Engineering Corporation, Chubu Electric. Toyo Engineering also constructed the plant. Chugoku Electric Power Company will buy all the power generated by the plant.

The project entered construction in October 2014, started operations in October 2018, and cost a total of JPY 110 billion ($965 million), with 28 financial institutions providing loans.