Canadian Solar has started construction of two photovoltaic projects in Japan totalling nearly 27MW.
Both are expected to begin commercial operation by mid-2021.
The first is a 13.6MW PV project in the Ibaraki prefecture, which will use over 33,000 of Canadian Solar’s high-efficiency MaxPower modules. It is expected to be operational by mid-2021.
Once in operation, the plant is expected to generate approximately 15,901 megawatt hours of energy a year, which will be purchased by Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco) under a 20-year feed-in-tariff contract at the rate of ¥32.0 (€0.27) per kilowatt hour.
The second project is a 13MW solar project in the Fukuoka prefecture, which will generate approximately 15,250MWh of solar energy each year. Kyushu Electric Power Company will purchase the electricity generated under a 20-year feed-in-tariff contract at the rate of ¥36.0/kWh.
Canadian Solar chairman and chief executive Shawn Qu said: “Canadian Solar continues to develop and construct high quality projects in Japan with remarkably attractive feed-in-tariffs. We entered the Japanese market in 2009, and since 2014, we have established ourselves as one of the leading foreign developers in the market, having cumulatively developed and connected over 290MW in utility-scale power plants.
“While new subsidised programnes are set to expire by 2021, we have a robust pipeline of high feed-in-tariff projects and continue to see opportunities given the Japanese government’s continued efforts to increase the penetration of renewable energy.”