GE to help power 231MW solar farm in Japan

Innovation company GE is collaborating with Toyo Engineering Corporation and renewable energy systems developer Kuni Umi Asset Management Co. in order to help power the 231MW Setouchi Kirei Solar Power Plant in Okayama Prefecture, Japan.

GE’s Power Conversion business will provide 94 units of 1MW Brilliance solar inverters and its SunIQ platform for the facility. The solar installation will be developed on 260 hectares of land on the former Kinkai salt field. It will be owned by Setouchi Future Creations LLC and is expected to be completed by 2019.

Yoichi Yamaki, regional manager at GE Power Conversion, said: “So far the local market is still dominated by small size inverters, around 630KW. But GE is able to provide inverters with much larger capacity to satisfy the growing need, offering increased reliability and efficiency. The future of the solar market in Japan requires dependable inverters with high capacity and GE is excited to be part of this growing industry.”

GE also signed off on a 20-year Long-Term Service Agreement (LTSA) with Setouchi Future Creations — a deal that includes the assurance of planned and unplanned maintenance of the company’s inverters and SUNIQ platform.

GE will also dole out the capital funding for the project, as it will hold a 60% stake of the facility, which is expected to cost around US$1.1 billion.  

Yasuyo Yamazaki, president & CEO of Kuni Umi Asset Management Co., said: “GE fully embraced the project through capital funding, providing quality equipment and technology, and long-term service. GE’s strong commitment and one-stop shop capability assured us the success of the project. We are pleased to work with GE and be part of the on-going national efforts to diversify energy resources, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable energy production in Japan.”