Tesla has launched a large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Sendai Power Station in Sendai City, Japan. The system, which began operation on May 20, 2024, includes Tesla Megapacks with a capacity of 10.8MW and 43MWh, reports Energy Storage News.
Tesla Japan announced the project’s commencement on June 4, 2024. Located in Miyagi Prefecture, the site is approximately 360km northeast of Tokyo. The installation utilizes Tesla’s integrated solution featuring lithium-ion batteries, a power conversion system, thermal management, and control systems.
This BESS will participate in Japan’s newly established ancillary services markets. These markets, launched through tenders in April, require rapid response times to balance grid frequency. Kanden Energy Solutions, part of Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO), will manage market operations.
KEPCO, a former monopoly utility, operates the Sendai Power Station and other generation assets. The deregulation and unbundling of Japan’s electricity supply and distribution in the mid-2010s transformed the market into a national system with regional pricing.
According to Jack Greenwood, an APAC market analyst at Kraken, a company owned by Octopus Energy, the national procurement of ancillary services is a key feature of the new market. Previously, such services were regionally procured and provided mainly by thermal generation and pumped hydro storage. Auctions for these services, which began this year, have so far been undersubscribed.
The Sendai project will offer two levels of frequency regulation: tertiary adjustment and primary adjustment. Tertiary adjustment involves correcting forecast errors for renewable energy production and responding to disruptions. Primary adjustment requires a response within 10 seconds of a grid signal, with a minimum discharge duration of 5 minutes.
Tesla’s first megawatt-scale battery project in Japan was a 7MWh system in Osaka for Kansai Electric’s virtual power plant program. The company has since expanded its presence in Japan, with the Sendai project marking a significant step in providing advanced energy storage solutions.
Tesla will continue to provide 24-hour remote maintenance services for the Sendai BESS, ensuring its integration with the grid.