Japanese financial services group Orix is set to build one of the country’s largest power storage facilities, partnering with Tesla Inc. for the supply of industrial-scale batteries.
The project in Maibara, Shiga prefecture, will incorporate Tesla’s Megapack units with a total capacity of 548 megawatt-hours. The facility, scheduled to begin operations in 2027, represents Orix’s strategic expansion into Japan’s evolving energy storage market.
Orix secured the project through a government auction designed to boost investment in decarbonized power infrastructure. The initiative aligns with Japan’s 2022 regulatory changes that opened the market for large-scale battery storage facilities connected to the power grid.
The financial services group joins a growing list of Japanese companies, including real estate firms and trading houses, investing in power storage solutions. These facilities are becoming increasingly crucial as Japan integrates more renewable energy sources into its power system.
For Orix, which has diverse interests spanning leasing, real estate, and renewable energy, the Maibara project marks its most significant move into the power storage sector, positioning the company to capitalize on Japan’s energy transition.
