GS Yuasa commisioned for stationary storage in Japan

Construction of the 25 MW/50 MWh battery system at the gas plant located in the large port city of Oita will begin in May 2025. Operation is planned to start in the 2026 financial year. The project has been commissioned by Chiyoda Corporation for Nijio, a subsidiary of Tokyo Gas to optimise the use of renewable energies and grid stability.

The Tsunokobaru Power Storage Station battery project is supported by the Sustainable Open Innovation Initiative (SII) – an industry association with governmental support. The station will be equipped by GS Yuasa with containerised energy storage systems (ESS) with lithium-ion batteries from Yuasa’s LEPS-2-14 series with a capacity of 25 MW.

The battery system’s modules have a fanless design, which the company says reduces malfunctions, maintenance costs and the need for spare parts. To protect the lithium-ion batteries from spreading fires or depleted performance due to cold temperatures, the modules are housed in fire-retardant cabinets that also protect them against extremely low temperatures.

GS Yuasa has been focusing on lead-acid starter batteries for automotive and emergency power applications for decades but says it will “continue to expand its lithium-ion energy storage systems as part of its ongoing commitment to grid stability”. With foreseeably declining sales in legacy automotive markets, lithium-ion batteries present an energy transition opportunity for the company that was founded in 1895, with its first lead-acid batteries produced in 1917.

The company’s foray into lithium-ion batteries first began with the establishment of Lithium Energy Japan with Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in 2007, Blue Energy with Honda Motor in 2009 and Honda – GS Yuasa EV Battery R&D in 2023, GS Yuasa is now focussing on the (further) development and production of future technologies for electric vehicles.

Currently, the company’s supply of lithium-ion vehicle batteries comes from its plant in Hungary. From 2027 onwards, the company’s lithium-ion battery plant in Japan will also be producing lithium-ion batteries. The company does not yet mention lithium-ion battery recycling or second-life uses on its public-facing material.