Mori Trust Launches "Lake Biwa Storage Power Plant Project"

Mori Trust Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce the commencement of development and business operation of a grid-scale battery storage facility in Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture. This marks our first grid-scale battery storage business, which will be operated through a special purpose company established by us.

Completed image of the grid-scale battery storage facility

As a real estate developer, we have been involved in the development of office buildings and hotels in urban and regional areas. In recent years, we have also been promoting investments in green infrastructure, such as the introduction of 100% renewable energy in our leased office buildings* and the promotion of solar power generation projects. Against this backdrop, we strongly recognize that a stable supply of electricity is the foundation of social infrastructure, underpinning urban functions, corporate activities, and general social life.

In particular, with the recent widespread adoption of renewable energy, which is susceptible to external factors such as weather conditions, securing electricity "adjustment capability" to constantly maintain the balance between supply and demand has become an urgent issue for society and industry.

Furthermore, with the advancement of the digital society, the risk of temporary power shortages causing widespread disruption to economic activities and urban functions has become apparent. In light of these circumstances, we aim to contribute to the sustainability of social infrastructure by engaging in the grid-scale battery storage business, which is one of the infrastructures responsible for electricity "adjustment capability."

To date, with the aim of understanding technological trends and accumulating knowledge in the battery-related field, we have invested in TeraWatt Technology Inc., which handles everything from research and development to manufacturing and mass production of next-generation batteries, and PowerX Inc., which is responsible for the mass production of battery storage systems. In addition, we have also invested in the Tokyo Battery Storage Investment Limited Partnership and have been repeatedly considering the possibility of entering the grid-scale battery storage business. Based on this background, we have decided to enter the grid-scale battery storage business for the first time.

Construction of the battery storage facility is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2026, with operations expected to commence in the latter half of 2027.

*Limited to properties where we have power supply and demand contracts, excluding temporarily operated buildings and small-scale leased buildings.

Overview of the Grid-Scale Battery Storage Facility

Location

2870 Jukkenya, Imahama-cho, Moriyama City, Shiga Prefecture

Project Name

Lake Biwa Storage Power Plant Project

Rated Output

8.7MW

Rated Capacity

19.7MWh

Battery Manufacturer

PowerX Inc.

Battery Type

Lithium-ion battery

Site Area

Approx. 16,000㎡

Start of Operation

Latter half of 2027 (planned)

Image of Charging and Discharging in a Grid-Scale Battery Storage System

Image of charging and discharging in a grid-scale battery storage system

About Mori Trust's Business Investments

We are actively promoting business investments beyond the real estate sector. Moving forward, while considering changing social backgrounds, we will continue to promote capital participation and fund investments in areas that further accelerate the growth of our existing core businesses, as well as in highly promising fields related to primary industries, regional revitalization, and carbon neutrality.

About Mori Trust Co., Ltd. https://www.mori-trust.co.jp/

Mori Trust Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Miwako Date) is a comprehensive real estate developer engaged in large-scale mixed-use developments in Japan's urban centers and hotel & resort businesses nationwide. With three main business pillars—"Real Estate Business," "Hotel & Resort Business," and "Investment Business (Domestic & Overseas)"—we operate 52 buildings, residences, and commercial facilities (as of March 2025) and 37 hotel & resort facilities (as of March 2026) both domestically and internationally.

We will continue to promote businesses that enhance Japan's international competitiveness through urban development and hotel development that preserves and utilizes historical buildings as tourism resources.