[Survey] Only 41.5% of those familiar with solar power investment know about its tax-saving benefits | 134 visitors surveyed at Asset Management EXPO

SOLSEL, a brokerage service for used solar power plants (operated by Elevista Inc., headquartered in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Takuya Ishino, hereinafter "SOLSEL"), exhibited at "Asset Management EXPO [Summer]" (organized by RX Japan Inc.) held at Tokyo Big Sight from May 15 (Fri) to 17 (Sun), 2026, and conducted a survey targeting booth visitors (161 responses collected / 134 valid responses).

As a result, among the 41 respondents who "knew of the existence" of solar power investment, only 41.5% (17 people) were aware of its greatest benefit, tax savings. It was found that the remaining 58.5% (24 people) "knew of its existence but not the tax-saving benefits." The visitors were primarily individuals with high investment intent and knowledge, with an average age of 44 and approximately 30% earning over 10 million yen annually. Despite this, the reality that "the biggest advantage" has not reached them became apparent.

(Scene from the Asset Management EXPO)

[Survey Results] Only 41.5% of those who knew of its existence were also aware of the tax-saving benefits.

Awareness of solar power investment can be divided into the stage of "knowing the name/existence" and the stage of "knowing why it is beneficial (tax-saving benefits)." Therefore, we narrowed down the survey to 41 individuals who answered that they "knew of the existence of solar power investment" and also responded to questions about tax savings, and tallied how many of them were aware of the tax-saving effects.

Response to "Were you aware of the tax-saving effects?"

Number of people

Percentage

Was aware

17 people

41.5%

Had heard of it vaguely

19 people

46.3%

Learned today for the first time

5 people

12.2%

Of those who knew of its existence, 41.5% were aware of the tax-saving effects. The remaining 58.5% (24 people) knew of its existence but not the tax-saving benefits. The state of "knowing the name but not why it is beneficial" accounted for over half of those who were aware.

Misconception: "Solar power is outdated" - Investment is evolving into "Used × Tax Savings × Data"

During conversations with visitors at the booth, a common sentiment was, "Solar power was good in the past, but it's difficult now, isn't it?"

This impression has a clear background. Triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the spread of renewable energy was accelerated as a national policy, and the FIT (Feed-in Tariff) system started in July 2012. The initial feed-in tariff rate for industrial use was around 40 yen/kWh, offering high potential returns, which quickly made solar power generation a popular investment. Subsequently, with the spread of equipment and cost reductions, the tariff has been lowered annually, with the feed-in tariff for new industrial use falling to around 10 yen/kWh in recent years, about a quarter of the initial level.

Because the initial success image of "creating new and selling at a high price" was so strong, the impression that "high returns are no longer possible" and "therefore it's a finished investment" has remained, even though the tariff has decreased. This is believed to be the reason behind the sentiment that "solar power is outdated."

However, instead of building new facilities, a secondary market for buying and selling existing operating power plants has been established and has become common in recent years.

Past Solar Power

Present Solar Power

Market

"Build and sell" new units.

A model to recover investment capital with high unit prices.

Buying used units with a track record of operation; the secondary market has matured.

Objective

Cash flow type aiming for high returns ("earning").

Type that "steadily increases" assets by leveraging tax system (tax savings).

Property Evaluation

Tends to depend on the operator's intuition.

Quantitative evaluation based on data, such as analysis of past power generation data and surrounding environment.

In short, solar power investment has evolved from "aggressive investment seeking high returns" to "steadily preserving assets through used × tax savings × data." The gap in awareness seen in this survey is thought to stem from this "outdated image."

CEO Comment

Many visitors to the Asset Management EXPO are proactive about investment and possess considerable knowledge.

Despite this, many still hold the image from several years ago that "solar power is a finished investment," and we were surprised to find that its greatest benefit, tax savings, has not reached them.

Solar power investment has transformed with the secondary market for used assets, data evaluation, and the utilization of the tax system. We believe our role is to first ensure people correctly understand "current solar power investment."

(Takuya Ishino, CEO of Elevista Inc., operator of SOLSEL)

What SOLSEL wants to convey: To correctly inform about "current solar power investment"

From this survey, SOLSEL's takeaway is not that "solar power investment is not of interest," but rather that "information has not been updated with its old image, and its greatest benefit is not known." We aim to bridge the gap in both image and information by updating the image from several years ago, which was based on FIT, with the latest information on the secondary market for used assets, the current state of the system, and the mechanism of tax savings.

In this series, we plan to sequentially report on the challenges surrounding solar power investment, as revealed by this survey, from the following perspectives:

Part 2 | Awareness Gap: Knowing the name but not "why it's beneficial"

Part 3 | Action Gap: Thinking about it but not taking action

Part 4 | Consciousness Gap: Not becoming a "self-selected tax-saving measure"

<Free> Would you like to estimate your potential tax savings?

Details of "tax-saving benefits" (mechanisms of depreciation and consumption tax refunds, and differences from other asset-building methods) are clearly organized in this explanatory article.

▶ Thorough explanation of tax-saving benefits at a seminar: Click here to apply

Additionally, SOLSEL's dedicated staff will provide a free estimate of the tax savings you can expect based on your annual income and taxable income. We offer comprehensive support from selecting used power plants to financing, tax filing, and sales.

▶ Free individual consultation for tax-saving simulation: Click here to apply

About the Operating Company and Service

SOLSEL, a brokerage service for solar power plants. This service brokers the buying and selling of already operating solar power plants (used/secondary). We support both those considering purchasing and existing owners considering selling. A dedicated representative provides support for property selection, financing support, tax accountant partnerships, post-operation monitoring/maintenance, various insurance, and sales (exit) support. The design makes it easy for first-timers to get involved while continuing their main job. URL: https://solsel.jp/

[Inquiries regarding this matter]

Elevista Inc.

Public Relations Department TEL: 0120-314-541 (Toll-free / Weekdays 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM)

E-Mail: contact@solsell.jp

*This survey was conducted via questionnaire at the venue of Asset Management EXPO [Summer] and does not represent Japan as a whole or all investors.

*Tax-saving effects, income, and refund amounts vary depending on the purchased property, income structure, applicable tax system, and its revisions, and their effectiveness is not guaranteed. Please consult with a tax professional, such as a tax accountant, for investment and tax decisions.