Solar Frontier and Japanese quarry operator Yano Industry have connected two solar power plants in Kunitomi, Miyazaki prefecture, Japan, which have a combined capacity of 3.3MW.
One plant has a capacity of 2.2MW and will be operated by Solar Frontier while the other has a capacity of 1.1MW and will be operated by Yano Industry. The 2.2MW plant, called Kunitomi No. 1 Megasolar, will be equipped with approximately 14,000 Solar Frontier CIS thin-film solar panels and will have a total output of 2,247kWh annually.
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The 1.1MW plant, called Kunitomi No. 2 Megasolar, will be equipped with roughly 7,000 modules which will generate an output of around 1,088kWh every year. Its output is equivalent to 16% of the annual electricity needed to run Yano Industry’s Tano and Hyuga factories.
The plants have been constructed on 7 hectares of land owned by Yano Industry in the Oaza Kiwaki area of Kunitomi and are part of a municipal plan which aims to supply half of Kunitomi’s electricity demand through solar generation.
EPC services were provided by Shoseki Engineering & Construction (SEC) for both plants.
The projects also mark the first collaboration between Solar Frontier and Belectric in Japan. The two companies have previously formed a joint venture in Europe and together developed several solar projects in the region.
In addition, the project is in line with Solar Frontier’s strategy to expand into the downstream solar value chain, where Solar Frontier builds and operates solar power plants as an independent power producer. The plants can be sold as turn-key projects to investor clients.
