Neoen announces its first project in Japan, the Ako Battery Storage System, coinciding with President Macron's visit

• Entry into the domestic grid-scale battery storage market through our first project in Japan, the Ako Battery Energy Storage System (Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture, 100 MW / 400 MWh).

• The Ako BESS will be one of the largest battery storage facilities in Japan.

• Announced at the Japan-France Business Forum held in Tokyo this week, coinciding with the official visit of French President Macron.

• Battery storage is one of Neoen's core businesses, with a global battery portfolio totaling 2.8 GW / 8.1 GWh in 7 countries.

Tokyo/Paris, April 1, 2026 – Neoen, a leading global renewable energy company based in Paris, France, announced today its entry into the Japanese domestic grid-scale battery storage market with the "Ako Battery Energy Storage System" project (100 MW / 400 MWh) in Hyogo Prefecture. The Ako BESS is expected to become one of the largest battery storage facilities in Japan upon its commissioning. The announcement was made at the Japan-France Business Forum held in Tokyo this week, coinciding with the official visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Japan.

Neoen acquired the development rights for this project in 2025 and signed a grid connection agreement with the transmission and distribution operator, Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., in January 2026. The Ako BESS is a long-duration storage facility with 4 hours of capacity and will contribute to improving the stability and resilience of Japan's power grid by actively supporting it. The notice to proceed (NTP) is expected to be issued in the coming months, with commercial operation scheduled for 2028.

Based on its expanding development pipeline, the company aims to become a major player in the Japanese battery storage market and contribute long-term to strengthening the resilience of Japan's power network. Neoen's Tokyo office is already managing a growing development pipeline.

Neoen currently operates in 15 countries across three regions: Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific, including Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. In 2017, the world's first large-scale battery, the Hornsdale Power Reserve, began operation in South Australia. Since then, the company has maintained a central position in Australia's battery sector, holding one of the country's largest portfolios with a total capacity of 2.3 GW / 7.2 GWh of large-scale batteries in operation or under construction. On a global basis, Neoen's storage systems are deployed in 7 countries (Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and El Salvador), with a total of 2.8 GW / 8.1 GWh of batteries in operation or under construction.

Xavier Barbaro, Group CEO of Neoen, stated:

"The Ako Battery Energy Storage System is our first project in Japan and a significant step towards our business expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. As a pioneer in the battery storage field, I am very proud to announce this project. The Ako BESS is an outstanding project not only in terms of scale but also in its speed to commissioning. We are committed to strengthening our Tokyo office and, through our expertise in battery storage, contributing to improving Japan's energy security and accelerating its energy transition."

About Neoen

Founded in 2008, Neoen is one of the world's leading renewable energy companies with expertise in solar power, onshore wind power, and battery storage. By providing locally-sourced, clean energy at competitive prices, the company actively contributes to accelerating the energy transition in the countries where it operates. Its total global capacity, including assets under construction, in operation, and under management, amounts to 9 GW. Backed by strong growth, the company plans to install an additional 10 GW of capacity by 2030. Xavier Barbaro, the Group CEO who directs Neoen's entire business composed of experts from around the world, also serves as a director of BRHL UK Holdings Ltd and BRHL UK Midco Ltd, and as Chairman of Cartusia S.A.S.

The company currently operates approximately 200 facilities across 3 continents, with flagship assets including: [Australia...