ITOCHU Corporation and Enphase enter into business partnership. America's top microinverter finally goes on sale in Japan
ITOCHU Corporation has formed a strategic business alliance with Enphase Energy Inc. of the United States for the sales and marketing of microinverters. Enphase is a leading manufacturer of microinverters that is highly regarded around the world, and many people have been waiting for its arrival. It solves the problems of residential solar power generation, realizing efficient power generation and flexible installation plans.
ITOCHU Corporation and Enphase Energy Inc. Form Strategic Business Alliance
This time, ITOCHU Corporation and Enphase Energy Inc. of the United States have entered into a strategic business alliance, and a new distributed energy system using microinverters will be introduced to the Japanese market. The mainstay of microinverters has finally landed. This innovative technology is expected to greatly expand the possibilities of solar power generation and bring new value to our lives.
ITOCHU Corporation has agreed to a strategic business alliance with Enphase Energy Inc. of the United States for the purpose of selling and marketing microinverters for Enphase solar power generation systems in the Japanese market.
Enphase is the top manufacturer in the United States for microinverters for residential solar power generation, and its technology is highly regarded around the world. Meanwhile, ITOCHU Corporation has been actively involved in the distributed energy business and has contributed to the spread of renewable energy.
It is expected that this alliance will combine the strengths of both companies and accelerate the spread of microinverters in the Japanese market.
New value brought by microinverters
Conventional solar power generation systems using centralized inverters had issues with installation on small roof areas or in places with poor sunlight conditions. However, microinverters solve these issues and provide more efficient power generation and flexible installation plans.
In Tokyo, the installation of solar power generation systems will become mandatory for newly built homes from April 2025, and the introduction of distributed power sources is progressing. The introduction of microinverters will support this movement and contribute to the further spread of solar power generation.
The following is a reprint of a press release from Itochu Corporation.
Strategic business partnership with Enphase Energy Inc. in the Japanese market
To further accelerate the implementation of distributed energy systems using microinverters
February 10, 2025
ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & COO: Ishii Keita; hereinafter "ITOCHU") has agreed to a strategic business alliance with Enphase Energy Inc. (headquartered in California, U.S.; President and CEO: Badri Kothandaraman; hereinafter "Enphase") for the purpose of sales and marketing of Enphase's microinverters for solar power generation systems in the Japanese market.
ITOCHU has been working on a wide range of distributed energy business initiatives by combining renewable energy generation for residential and industrial use, power storage as a balancing function, power interchange among consumers, and efficient energy management businesses.
Enphase is the leading U.S. manufacturer of microinverters for residential solar power generation, and solar power generation systems using the company's inverters have been sold and installed in more than 4.5 million homes in over 160 countries.
The further introduction of distributed power sources is expected, with the installation of solar power generation systems becoming mandatory for new homes in Tokyo from April 2025. However, the installation of conventional centralized inverters on residential roofs in urban areas posed challenges, such as the small roof area and installation on roof surfaces with little sunlight. The introduction of microinverters will solve these challenges while providing more efficient power generation and flexible installation plans. Starting with Tokyo, where further penetration of solar power generation systems is required, we expect to expand sales throughout Japan within fiscal 2025.
ITOCHU has set a management policy of "The Brand-new Deal - Profits are downstream," and will expand its business domain by capturing diversifying needs that accompany social changes, developing and evolving downstream businesses closer to consumers. At the same time, by deploying Enphase's innovative products, the company will maximize the limited power generation available on residential rooftops, and by integrating this with its existing efforts in distributed power generation and energy management using storage batteries, it will realize a society in which green power is circulated without waste.
Enphase Energy Inc. Company Profile
Hanwha Japan sells systems that combine Enphase with small modules
Hanwha Japan Co., Ltd. has announced the launch of a new premium solar power generation system, "Re.RISE AC," equipped with MLPE technology*, which combines the latest microinverter from Enphase, the top US manufacturer, which has just arrived in Japan for the first time, with the small solar cell module "Re.RISE S 230" developed by Hanwha Japan for Japanese homes. For more details, see the Hanwha Japan release:
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Towards a sustainable society
ITOCHU has set a management policy of "The Brand-new Deal - Profits are downstream" and is creating new business models that respond to changes in society. This partnership is part of that effort, and by deploying Enphase's innovative products, we aim to maximize the power generation that can be generated from limited residential rooftops and realize a society in which green power is used to the fullest.
The spread of microinverters will not only expand the possibilities of solar power generation and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society, but will also bring new value to our lives. More efficient power generation, flexible installation plans, and contribution to the environment. These are the new values that microinverters bring.
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