ORIX Corporation has completed the installation of approximately 23.4 megawatts of solar power systems for Kansai Airports, Japan. The project was carried out through a special purpose company, and the renewable energy generated will be supplied under a power purchase agreement starting on February 1. The solar installation consists of a ground-mounted solar plant and a rooftop system on the international cargo building at Kansai International Airport, with a combined capacity of 22.8 megawatts. An additional 0.6-megawatt rooftop solar system has been installed on the terminal building at Osaka International Airport.
These solar facilities are expected to generate around 27,754 megawatt-hours per year for Kansai Airport and 628 megawatt-hours per year for Osaka Airport. ORIX has stated that these installations are expected to provide the highest level of solar power generation among airport facilities in Japan.
Floating solar power is also being developed in Japan, with multiple projects utilizing reservoirs and water bodies for solar panel installations. A floating solar farm in Saitama Prefecture has an installed capacity of 13.7 megawatts and is designed to reduce land use while maximizing solar generation. In Yamakura Dam, a floating solar power plant with a capacity of 13.7 megawatts has been installed to generate electricity while reducing water evaporation. In Fukushima Prefecture, solar farms have been installed on land previously used for agriculture before the 2011 nuclear disaster.
Japan is also focusing on hydrogen production as part of its renewable energy development. The Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field (FH2R) is a hydrogen production facility with a capacity of 10 megawatts. It uses solar power and grid electricity to produce hydrogen, which can be stored and used for energy supply when needed.
