Kansai Electric Power, through its wholly-owned subsidiary E-Second, launched a business acquiring and providing asset management services for existing feed-in-tariff (FIT) solar power plants across Japan, the utility announced on August 27, 2026.
According to the statement, the unit, which was incorporated in January 2026, targets a 500MW portfolio of acquired and managed capacity by FY2040. It offers acquisition for owners looking to sell and asset management for those that prefer to retain their plants and outsource operations. E-Second will provide support with operations and maintenance (O&M), repowering, transition to the feed-in-premium (FIP) scheme, battery retrofits, and power sales.
The launch comes ahead of an expected wave of early FIT contract expirations starting in FY2032 and amid growing challenges, such as aging equipment and post-FIT monetization, faced by low-voltage commercial solar power plant owners, many of whom are individuals rather than companies.
To incentivize the consolidation of small-scale solar power plant ownership under reputable operators, METI opened a qualified long-term solar generator certification for applications in April 2025. To date, three companies, including Osaka Gas, Mitsubishi HC Capital Energy, and NTT Anode Energy, have been certified. Kansai EPCO did not say whether E-Second will apply under the scheme.
