Neoen Announces Japan's First Project 'Akoo Storage System' to Coincide with President Macron's Visit to Japan

Neoen, a global renewable energy leader, enters Japan's grid-scale battery market with its first project, the 100MW/400MWh 'Akoo Storage System' in Hyogo Prefecture. Announced during French President Macron's visit, operations are expected to begin in 2028, contributing to grid stability.
素材・化学・エネルギー,再生可能エネルギーNQ 97/100出典:PR Times

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  • 📰 Published: April 1, 2026 at 23:30
  • Entering the domestic grid-scale battery market through our first project in Japan, the 'Akoo Storage System' (Ako City, Hyogo Prefecture, 100MW/400MWh)

  • The Akoo Storage System will be one of the largest battery storage systems in Japan

  • Announced at the Franco-Japanese Business Forum held in Tokyo this week to coincide with the official visit of French President Macron

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

April 1, 2026, Tokyo/Paris – Neoen, a leading global renewable energy company based in Paris, France, today announced its entry into the Japanese grid-scale battery market through the 'Akoo Storage System' project (100MW/400MWh) to be implemented in Hyogo Prefecture. The 'Akoo Storage System' is expected to become one of Japan's largest battery storage systems upon its operation. This announcement was made at the Franco-Japanese 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 Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc., a transmission and distribution operator, in January 2026. The 'Akoo Storage System' is a facility capable of four hours of long-duration storage and will actively support Japan's power grid to enhance its stability and resilience. A Notice to Proceed (NTP) is expected to be issued within the coming months, with operations slated to begin in 2028.

Building on our expanding development pipeline, we aim to become a major player in Japan's battery storage market and contribute to strengthening the resilience of Japan's power network in the long term. Neoen's Tokyo office is already operating an expanding development pipeline.

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

Xavier Barbaro, Neoen Group CEO, stated:

“The Akoo Storage System is our first project in Japan and a significant step towards expanding our business in the Asia-Pacific region. As a pioneer in the battery storage field, we are extremely proud to announce this project. The Akoo Storage System is an outstanding project not only in terms of scale but also in its speed to operation. We are committed to strengthening our Tokyo office and contributing to enhancing Japan's energy security and accelerating the energy transition through our expertise in battery storage.”

About Neoen

Founded in 2008, Neoen is a global renewable energy company with expertise in solar, onshore wind, and battery storage. By supplying clean energy that is rooted in local communities at competitive prices, it actively contributes to accelerating the energy transition in the countries where it operates. Neoen's total global installed capacity, including under construction, in operation, and under management, amounts to 9GW. With strong growth, the company plans to add an additional 10GW by 2030. Xavier Barbaro, Group CEO, who leads Neoen's global operations comprising specialists 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. Key assets include the 'Western Downs Green Power Hub' in Australia (comprising the country's largest solar power plant [460MWp] and the 'Western Downs Storage System' [540MW/1,080MWh]), the 'Collie Storage System' (560MW/2,240MWh), one of the world's largest; the largest solar power plant in France (300MWp) in Cestas; and the largest wind power plant in Finland (404MW) in Mutkalahti.

For more information, please visit https://japan.neoen.com/.

The world's first large-scale battery storage system developed by Neoen, the 'Hornsdale Power Reserve' (South Australia)
Keywords: Neoen,ネオエン,蓄電池,サステイナビリティ

FAQ

What is the main announcement in this news?

Neoen has announced its first grid-scale battery project in Japan, the 'Akoo Storage System,' signifying a full market entry.

What are the capacity and operational timeline for the Akoo Storage System?

It has a capacity of 100MW/400MWh and is scheduled to commence operations in 2028.

What are Neoen's goals in Japan?

They aim to contribute to the stability and resilience of Japan's power grid and become a key player in the battery storage market.