Mitsubishi Corporation is really getting its renewable energy game on; with several announcements concerning major wind and solar PV projects in the last week.
The company yesterday announced plans for the construction of a new 12MW solar farm in Iwaki City, Fukushima. The solar panel based facility will be the largest of its kind in the Tohoku region and is expected to start operating from mid-2014.
The company will also develop a 6MW solar project at the site of Onahama Petroleum Co., Ltd; which will be a joint venture between Mitsubishi Corporation and Tepco in Iwaki.
Also announced yesterday was a joint venture between Mitsubishi and C-Tech Corporation to jointly establish “Tahara Solar Co., Ltd.” to build and operate the 77 MW Mega Solar Power Plant, one of the largest solar projects in Japan.
Construction of the Mega Solar Power Plant will start this year; with the first electricity to be exported in 2014. The plant will generate around 88,000MWh annually when completed; enough to supply 24,000 households. The total project cost is estimated at over AUD $211 million.
Mitsubishi Corporation states it has a total solar power generation capacity of 130 MW currently in operation or under development across Japan and has set a goal to expand capacity to 200 MW by 2020.
Last week, the company also announced it would acquire 50% of the Netherlands’ Luchterduinen offshore wind farm. Eneco and Mitsubish Corp will jointly construct and operate the facility and have also entered into a long-term partnership agreement for on-shore wind energy activities in Europe.
The Luchterduinen offshore wind farm will be situated 23 km off the coast of Noordwijk. The 130MW facility will consist of 40 wind turbines and is expected to generate enough clean energy to supply 150,000 households. The wind farm will commence operations around the middle of 2015.
The two companies also intend working together on the Eneco-operated 120MW Prinses Amalia Windpark (Princess Amalia Wind Farm), which is situated 23 km west of the village of Egmond aan Zee.
