JERA considers storage battery business in US, jointly with British company
Power storage equipment owned by Zenobe Energy
(Source: Zenobe Energy)
JERA Americas, a US subsidiary of JERA (Chuo-ku, Tokyo), is considering a storage battery business in the US. The joint venture with Zenobē Americas, the U.S. subsidiary of Zenobē Energy, a major British storage battery operator, will serve two electricity markets in the northeastern United States. On December 16, the two companies announced that they had signed a basic agreement.
Based on the agreement, JERA Americas and Zenobē Americas will jointly consider the development of storage battery businesses, such as stand-alone and renewable energy power supply, in the New York State and New England electric power markets.
In addition, we will investigate the applicability of large-scale storage battery projects to facilities owned by JERA Americas in these regions. JERA Americas is an IPP business in the United States that owns gas-fired power plants and onshore wind power plants (under construction).
In the United States, the introduction of storage batteries is expected to grow significantly in the future due to the lack of adjustment capacity associated with the expansion of renewable energy introduction and the trend toward decarbonization. In particular, New York State and New England are promising markets for business development, as large-scale introduction of storage batteries is expected.
JERA invested in Zenobē Energy together with TEPCO Power Grid in 2019 to participate in the UK's storage battery business. JERA's stake in Zenobē Energy will be 9.92%.
JERA is a joint venture between TEPCO Fuel & Power and Chubu Electric Power Co., Ltd., and is involved in thermal power generation projects. Among the former general electric utilities, Kansai Electric Power Co. is also involved in the grid storage battery business (related article: ORIX and KEPCO enter "grid storage battery" with 48MW and 113MWh facilities).
