Solar Frontier, a provider of CIS solar energy solutions, and Chopro, a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distributor and solar power producer, announced the completion of an approximately 30 MW solar power plant located next to Nagasaki Airport in Japan.
“SOL de Omura Minojima Solar Power Plant” is the biggest solar installation in Nagasaki Prefecture and is also one of the biggest in Japan.
The new power plant is expected to generate approximately 37 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, equivalent to the annual power consumption of 7,500 households in Japan.
Solar Frontier and Chopro jointly established the company Nagasaki Solar Energy to develop and manage the new power plant.
Chiyoda Corporate provided engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services and the land for this project was leased by Nagasaki Prefecture.
A syndicate of local banks (led by Mizuho Bank) from the Kyushu region provided non-recourse project financing. Electricity generated by the power plant is being sold to Kyushu Electric Power Company.
Solar Frontier provided its CIS solar panels, which offer anti-reflective properties so as not to affect aircraft operations. The power plant was designed in accordance with height and other regulatory restrictions due to airplanes landing and taking off.
A 10 kilometer submarine power cable was also laid in order to connect the power plant to the electric grid on mainland Kyushu. Construction, which began in April, 2015, was completed on schedule in July, 2016.
Rajani Baburajan
editor@greentechlead.com