Japex storage battery station supports Hokkaido renewable energy growth

Japex

Japex storage battery station development in Hokkaido marks a strategic shift in Japan’s upstream energy companies toward grid flexibility. The new Japex storage battery station in Tomakomai will support a stable supply of renewable energy as variable output rises. As a result, the project strengthens Japan’s broader push to integrate large-scale renewables without sacrificing reliability.

Japex will build the Tomakomai storage battery station as one of Japan’s largest power-storage facilities, with 20MW capacity. The company targets commercial operations in autumn 2027, aligning the Japex storage battery station with accelerating wind and solar additions in Hokkaido. Meanwhile, the firm highlights that storage batteries will play a growing role in balancing renewable energy output and maintaining grid stability.

Hokkaido emerges as a storage and renewables cluster

Hokkaido offers Japex strong fundamentals for expanding its battery storage business. The region already hosts significant renewable energy capacity and has made visible progress in adopting storage solutions. Therefore, locating the Japex storage battery station in Tomakomai leverages both existing infrastructure and future solar and wind growth.

Japex has already commissioned a smaller 2MW storage battery station in Chiba prefecture, gaining early operational experience. In Tomakomai, the company also runs two solar power plants and plans another for 2028, further deepening its presence in low-carbon assets. However, Japex emphasizes that the Tomakomai storage battery station will operate as a grid-level resource rather than being tied to a single power plant. This design allows the asset to respond dynamically to system needs across the local network.

The Metalnomist Commentary

Japex’s move into large-scale storage signals how traditional upstream players are repositioning for a decarbonised power system. By building a major storage hub in Hokkaido, the company is not just following renewable growth but actively enabling it. For metals and battery supply chains, sustained roll-out of 20MW-class projects across Japan will reinforce long-term demand for advanced battery materials and grid technologies.