Shikoku Electric Power’s wholly-owned subsidiary Yonden Solar begun construction of a 1.99MW floating solar power plant in Saijo City, Ehime Prefecture, on February 18, 2025, the company announced on the same day.
According to the statement, the “Teruiike-Daimyojinike Floating Solar Power Plant” will be built on two adjacent reservoirs in the city and is expected to commission within FY2025 (year ending March 31, 2026). The power plant is expected to generate about 2.65GWh per year once operational. The generated power will be sold to Shikoku EPCO according to a Nikkei Mega Solar Business report.
The report said the project will use Leapton Energy panels, Huawei inverters, and Kyoraku floats.
Shikoku EPCO owns three operational floating solar projects including the 750kW Haseike Floating Solar Power Plant commissioned in July 2022, and the 1.99MW Hazama Kamiike Floating Solar Power Plant and 200kW Hazama Nakaike Floating Solar Power Plant commissioned in September 2024, all in Kagawa Prefecture. It is currently building another 1.5MW project, the Taniike Floating Solar Power Plant, in the prefecture.
Teruiike-Daimyojinike Floating Solar Power Plant is the company’s fifth floating solar project overall and its first in Ehime Prefecture.
Due to Japan’s topography, flat land available for solar projects is in short supply, prompting companies to explore floating and agri solar projects among others. Demonstrating this trend, at the end of last year, SMFL Mirai Partners and Shizen Energy jointly acquired a 15.8MW portfolio of floating solar assets to gain know-how in the area.
“There are 150,000 reservoirs across Japan that are seen as promising new locations for solar power generation, and the potential for the introduction of floating solar power generation facilities is said to be approximately 39GW,” said their statement announcing the acquisition.
