JX Energy to build three solar power plants in Japan

Plants will have a combined capacity of 17 MW.

Japanese refinery and energy giant JX Nippon Oil and Energy Corporation intends to build the three solar power plants in Akita, Fukushima and Okinawa.

The new projects will increase JX Energy’s solar power portfolio by more than four times its current capacity. They will bring JX Energy’s total solar power plant portfolio to 22 MW capacity.

The Fukushima and Akita power stations in the north of Japan will have capacities of 1 MW and 4 MW, respectively. The Okinawa plant will have a capacity of 12 MW.

The Fukushima and Akita prefecture power stations will be constructed and running by August 2014 while the Okinawa plant is expected to become operational in March 2015.

JX Energy has invested some US$52 million in the three sites. The projects will be located on disused JX Energy oil and gas refinery land.

JX Energy already has a 5 MW solar generation capacity either in place or in the company’s project pipeline. There are mega solar plants in Yamaguchi and Miyagi prefectures and another in Ibaraki prefecture under construction.