Bison Brothers and energy trader Engelhart CTP (formerly Trailstone) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate on BESS projects in Japan, the Bison Energy affiliate focused on battery storage system integration and project development announced on February 19, 2025.
According to the statement, Bison Brothers will be responsible for developing the projects, including land acquisition and permitting. It will also be in charge of overseeing equipment procurement, project construction, and maintenance. Engelhart CTP will be responsible for “optimizing charging and discharging cycles, developing capacity market bidding strategies, and structuring long-term financial agreements.”
“In this initial stage, ECTP will provide their expertise to operate and financially optimize a portion of the BESS assets in the Bison pipeline as they go into commercial operation which is expected to start early next year on a phased schedule,” said Munenori Fernando Horie, Bison Brothers’ VP of Power Trading.
While this marks Bison Brothers’ first time to be involved in project development in Japan directly, Bison Energy has worked on 64 solar projects including 26 have been commissioned already and 10 being prepared for or under construction. Last year, the company secured investment from HEXA Renewables for further development of solar and BESS projects. It is targeting developing 3GW/12GWh of the latter by 2028.
“Japan is at a pivotal moment in its energy transition, and battery storage will play a critical role in ensuring grid stability and integrating renewable energy,” said Eddy Wong, CEO of Bison Brothers. The increasing share of solar and wind generation and the subsequent need to balance the grid has led to an uptick in BESS development.
The country’s growing BESS sector led to the formation of numerous partnerships in recent months, including collaborations between TESS Engineering and Daiwa Energy & Infrastructure, Mitsubishi HC Capital Energy and Sun Village, and Fuyo Lease and Global Engineering.
