Massive Japanese floating solar project launched

TOKYO—The Kyocera Corporation and its joint-venture partner the Century Tokyo Leasing Corporation announced on Jan. 21 that Kyocera TCL Solar has started construction on the world’s largest floating solar power plant, to be located on the Yamakura Dam reservoir.

Scheduled for launch in 2018, the plant will be comprised of approximately 51,000 Kyocera solar modules installed over a freshwater surface area of 180,000 square metres. The plant will supply 13.7 megawatts (MW) of power and will generate an estimated 16,170 megawatt hours (MWh), enough electricity to power approximately 4,970 typical households.

Construction began in December 2015. The project will be managed by the Public Enterprises Agency of Chiba Prefecture in Japan.

The Kyocera TCL Solar media statement says the firm has been turning to floating solar power plants since 2014, given the lack of suitable land and the relative abundance of water surfaces at reservoirs for agricultural and flood-control purposes.