METI Announces Measures to Accelerate Grid Connection of On-Site Batteries
September 25, 2025
nterpretation of the Chart
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Unit: 10,000 kW (万kW)
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Light blue bars: Capacity under grid connection study
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Dark blue bars: Capacity with contract application submitted
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Numbers in parentheses: Increase/decrease compared to June 2024
Key Results by Region:
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Tohoku: 5,660 ×10,000 kW (+3,682 ×10,000 kW) – the highest in Japan, accounting for the largest share.
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Chugoku: 1,826 ×10,000 kW (+1,219 ×10,000 kW).
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Kyushu: 1,681 ×10,000 kW (+813 ×10,000 kW).
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Tokyo: 1,652 ×10,000 kW (+713 ×10,000 kW).
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Other regions, such as Hokkaido, Kansai, and Chubu, also saw increases but at a smaller scale (hundreds of MW).
Insights:
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The most significant growth in connection study applications is in Tohoku, Chugoku, and Kyushu — regions with strong potential for renewable energy development (especially offshore wind in Tohoku and solar in Kyushu).
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This surge is putting heavy pressure on utilities and grid operators, aligning with METI’s recent proposals to cap the number of applications and require proof of project feasibility at the application stage.
At the 4th meeting of the “Next-Generation Power System Working Group” on September 24, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) presented new measures to speed up the grid connection process for stationary storage batteries.
Key points include:
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Stricter documentation at application stage: Applicants may need to submit land-related documents and business registration to ensure project feasibility before connection studies are performed.
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Business reliability requirements: METI is considering requiring evidence of a certain level of business reliability at the time of application to filter out low-probability projects.
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Limit on connection study applications: To address backlogs, a cap may be placed on the number of applications one power producer can submit for the same transmission/distribution operator. Priority would be given to higher-ranked projects.
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Ongoing review: METI will continue studying other approaches, including improving transparency of available grid capacity information and reviewing unused grid reservation practices.
These steps are designed to handle the rapid rise in grid connection requests, avoid unrealistic projects consuming administrative resources, and shorten the time needed for connection studies.
