HOBE ENERGY Supports Operation Launch of 'Kamino Energy Storage Plant' in Kumagaya, Saitama — First Commercial Deployment of In-House Grid-Scale Storage System

HOBE ENERGY Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Tsuyoshi Okino; hereinafter “HOBE ENERGY”), a provider of next-generation battery solutions, announces that the grid-scale battery project 'Kamino Energy Storage Plant'—developed by Japan Energy Storage Development Institute Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo; Representative Director: Akira Hoshino; hereinafter “JESDI”) in Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture—has commenced operations today, June 16, 2026.

This project marks HOBE ENERGY’s first commercial deployment of its in-house grid-scale energy storage system, following the announcement of successful energization on March 27, 2026. The company’s integrated energy storage system—comprising batteries, EMS, PCS, and substation equipment—has now officially entered full commercial operation.

※ Press release on energization: March 27, 2026

In this project, HOBE ENERGY acted not merely as an equipment supplier, but as a comprehensive partner leveraging its expertise to solve customer challenges. The company supported an astonishingly rapid deployment, achieving “on-site commissioning in just 4 days” and “market entry testing in 1 day.” This demonstrates industry-leading implementation speed, with entry into the frequency regulation market (primary reserve) completed just 2.5 months after energization.

(From left) Shogo Iizuka (E-top Co., Ltd.), Akira Hoshino (Japan Energy Storage Development Institute), and Tsuyoshi Okino (HOBE ENERGY Co., Ltd.)

Three Core Elements Behind Rapid Market Entry

Launching a grid-scale energy storage plant typically requires significant time and effort for inter-vendor equipment integration and system testing. HOBE ENERGY responded to its customer’s need for “early monetization (market entry)” by implementing an end-to-end solution that drastically reduced deployment time.

Zero Integration Mismatch via In-House 'Integrated Energy Storage System' HOBE ENERGY designed and supplied all components—batteries, EMS, PCS, and substation equipment—as a fully integrated system for the Japanese market. Since specification alignment was completed during the design phase, on-site commissioning was finalized in just four days.

Early Aggregator Collaboration (1-Day Market Entry Test) HOBE ENERGY collaborated with RUTILEA Inc., the operation partner, from the initial design phase as a unified team, sharing requirements. By thoroughly aligning technical and market operation specifications in advance, the market entry test was completed in a single day.

Ease of Installation via 5ft Compact Container Compared to the industry-standard 20ft container, HOBE ENERGY adopted a “5ft compact container” that is easier to transport and install. This design not only overcomes site constraints but also dramatically accelerates physical deployment speed.

Project Overview

Item

Details

Plant Name

Kamino Energy Storage Plant

Location

Kamino, Kumagaya City, Saitama Prefecture

Capacity

5MWh (2MW output)

Energization Date

March 27, 2026

Operation Start Date

June 16, 2026 (approximately 2.5 months after energization)

Storage System

HOBE ENERGY 5ft Compact Integrated Energy Storage System

(LFP Battery, In-House EMS, PCS, Substation Equipment – Fully Integrated Design)

Project Owner

Japan Energy Storage Development Institute Co., Ltd.

Construction Partner

E-top Co., Ltd. (EPC)

Operations Support

RUTILEA Inc. (Aggregator)

Kamino Energy Storage Plant (Kamino, Kumagaya City, Saitama)

Future Outlook: Commitment to Energy Innovation

To achieve Japan’s government target of 40–50% renewable energy by 2040, grid-scale battery storage is recognized as a critical infrastructure supporting the nation’s power grid. HOBE ENERGY will expand its proven “rapid deployment model”—established through the successful operation of the Kamino and Roppongi plants—to accelerate deployment across Japan, including JESDI’s upcoming projects and regions requiring renewable integration and grid reinforcement. Moving forward, the company will not only focus on lithium-ion batteries but also explore next-generation technologies such as sodium-ion and redox flow batteries, striving to become a comprehensive energy innovation partner that solves customer challenges from every angle.

Comment from Tsuyoshi Okino, President & CEO, HOBE ENERGY Co., Ltd.

“We are extremely proud that both the Kamino and Roppongi storage plants, which completed energization in March this year, have commenced operations on the same day just 2.5 months later—an unprecedented pace. We sincerely thank Mr. Hoshino of JESDI, E-top Co., Ltd. for construction, and RUTILEA Inc. for market operations support. Our strength lies not just in supplying equipment, but in comprehensively supporting customers with expertise and our in-house EMS-powered solutions. This achievement demonstrates that our end-to-end system functions effectively in real-world commercial environments, solving the customer challenge of early market entry. We will continue to work together toward Japan’s energy independence and a decarbonized society.”

Company Overview

Company Name: HOBE ENERGY Co., Ltd.

Representative: President & CEO Tsuyoshi Okino

Headquarters: 3F, Torei Nishishinbashi Building, 1-13-5 Nishishinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0003

Business: Battery solutions (small-scale, industrial, sodium batteries, EMS, integrated system design, deployment support)

URL: https://hobeenergy.co.jp/

Partner Companies

Japan Energy Storage Development Institute (JESDI): https://japan-energystorage.co.jp/

RUTILEA Inc.: https://www.rutilea.com/

E-top Co., Ltd.: https://etop-co.com/