Bison Energy won three grid-scale battery storage projects in Japan’s second long-term decarbonization auction (LTDA), including the largest awarded to date.
The three projects total 197.8MW (derated), about 14% of the 1.37GW of battery storage awarded in the auction, according to OCCTO. They include shorter-duration (three-to-six-hour) BESS in Niigata and Fukui, and a longer-duration (six-hour-plus) project in Fukushima Prefecture. The projects will receive capacity payments for 20 years.
A Bison Energy spokesperson said the Niigata and Fukui facilities are 50MW and 40MW before derating, respectively, and the six-hour-plus Fukushima project is 150MW. The company did not disclose the projects’ energy capacity at this time. Based on its 150MW output and at least six hours of storage, the Fukushima asset will have at least 900MWh, making it the largest known BESS project in the country at this point.
Planned commissioning dates were not disclosed. LTDA-contracted battery projects, however, need to begin commercial operation by the end of the fourth fiscal year after award, FY2029 in this case.
Bison Energy, a Tokyo-based company established in 2016, initially focused on solar project development before expanding into grid-scale storage. The company received investment from i Squared Capital-backed HEXA Renewables in 2024 and aims to develop 3GW/12GWh of BESS by 2028.
