BayWa RE has completed its first solar park in Japan, the 12MW Kuwabarajo Mega Solar Number 4.
The project covers 24 hectares and is located in Izumi in the Kyushu Kagoshima Prefecture.
The construction of the solar farm, which comprises 31,248 solar panels and is located in a hilly area, took just over a year.
BayWa RE is already busy constructing its second solar farm in Isohara in the Ibaraki prefecture north of Tokyo.
The 35MW project is set to complete in 2021, followed by the 50MW Kobe solar farm in 2022.
BayWa RE Asia-Pacific project director Daniel Gaefke welcomed the completion, adding: “Developing mega-solar projects in Japan is a challenge, given that suitable land for construction is scarce, and the permission process can easily take a few years.
“We are very proud to be playing a role in helping Japan to grow its renewable energy generation and support it as it moves from a feed-in-tariff market towards a long-term commercial marketplace.”
President of BayWa Japan Tetsuya Oura said: “It’s an exciting time for BayWa RE. in Japan, with the commercial completion of the Kuwabarajo Mega Solar No.4 solar park and two other solar farms to follow soon. Once complete all three solar farms will deliver close to 100MW of green energy to local people.
“Key to our approach has been to work closely with the local communities around all our projects.”
BayWa operates across the breadth of the Asia-Pacific region, with offices in Australia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and Taiwan.
Since entering the region in 2015, BayWa RE said it has delivered over 500MW of renewable energy across solar and wind farm developments and large-scale commercial and industrial installations.