Sumitomo to build 60MW solar facility in Fukushima

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Utility-scale solar in nearby Matsushima. Image: Andy Colthorpe.

Sumitomo Corporation, Japan’s leading general trading company, is implementing a 60MW solar PV project in Minamisoma, Fukushima, at a ¥22 billion (US$ 201 million) investment.

The 110 hectare project is situated in the Migita/Ebi and Mano districts and will be funded by a consortium including Mizuho Bank, while Toshiba and Taisei will be providing EPC expertise. Construction has already begun and the project is expected to be operational in March 2018.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

Not ready to commit yet?
  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

The project is expected to generate enough energy to power around 20,000 Japanese homes, according to the company. The solar plant is also a crucial step in meeting the 'Minamisoma Renewable Energy Promotion Vision' which aims to have clean energy provide almost the entirety of the city’s power consumption by 2040.

Fukushima was hit by both the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 and the nuclear spill at the Fukushima Daichi power plant, which triggered the the shutdown of Japan's fleet of nuclear power stations and the creation of the feed-in tariff (FiT) policies for solar that catapulted the country into being one of the world's top markets for PV.

Fukushima itself is emerging from the tragedies with purported designs to become a world leader in clean energy; as the ambitious renewable energy target suggests. Sumitomo's annoucement is the latest in a considerable amount of solar deployment in the Fukushima region. Last summer Japanese conglomerate Marubeni Corporation began operations on a 52.5MW plant which was supported by generous US$132 million in funding from financiers including he Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ.

Read Next

August 28, 2025
JinkoSolar has sold 41.8GW of PV modules in the first half of the year, despite growing financial losses for its manufacturing subsidiary.
August 26, 2025
Daqo New Energy has posted gross losses of US$81.4 million in Q2 2025, up from losses of US$81.5 million in Q1.
August 26, 2025
The Australian Government’s CER approved 56 new power stations, with 797MW of renewable energy capacity, in July this year.
Premium
August 22, 2025
Indian PV manufacturers are facing a double hit from US trade tariffs and anti-dumping measures on products sold in America. Shreeyashi Ojha reports on how these are impacting their business models.
Premium
August 22, 2025
Radovan Kopecek and Joris Libal examine the technological and economic factors driving PV’s ascendancy, with emphasis on bifacial BC modules.
August 20, 2025
Blueleaf Energy has signed an MoU with Chemsain Sustainability to explore a portfolio of up to 3GW of solar PV and BESS in Malaysia.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines