Canadian Solar installs first grid-connected Naebo 2MW/8.25MWh BESS in Hokkaido

Canadian Solar plants Naebo BESS in Hokkaido to bolster grid flexibility

First grid-connected SolBank BESS in Japan

Canadian Solar’s energy storage arm, e-STORAGE, is delivering its first grid-connected battery energy storage system (BESS) in Japan, installing a 2 MW rated output unit with 8.25 MWh DC capacity adjacent to the Naebo substation in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Developed by Canadian Solar Projects K.K. and awarded under Hokkaido Electric Power Network Company’s 2023 public land leasing initiative, the SolBank-platform system is configured to participate in both the Japan Electric Power Exchange (JEPX) and the Balancing Market (EPRX). The company positions the asset as a tool to enhance grid flexibility, support renewable integration and improve market stability across Hokkaido.

The system is delivered to site in September 2025 and enters final commissioning in early December 2025, with e-STORAGE leading design, engineering and commissioning. The project is intended to provide rapid dispatch and frequency balancing services to local operators while enabling merchant-market participation, which Canadian Solar says will help align supply and demand as variable wind and solar output grows in the region. e-STORAGE commits to long-term maintenance and inspection services through the asset’s operational life, aiming to ensure reliability for utility partners and market participants.

e-STORAGE also holds Japan’s government-recognized Wide Area Management Certificate, authorizing the company to manage compliant, nationwide end-of-life processes for lithium-ion battery systems. Canadian Solar frames this certification as part of a full-lifecycle approach that meets Japanese regulation and utility requirements, covering decommissioning and recycling pathways as battery assets reach end of life.

Corporate footprint and deployment milestones

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Kitchener, Ontario, Canadian Solar is one of the world’s largest solar technology and renewable energy companies, having delivered nearly 170 GW of solar photovoltaic modules over 24 years. Through e-STORAGE, the company reports shipping over 16 GWh of battery energy storage solutions to global markets as of September 30, 2025.

Strategically, the Naebo deployment marks e-STORAGE’s first battery installation in Japan and underscores Canadian Solar’s continued commitment to the country. Company executives say they will leverage local experience from the Hokkaido project to pursue additional utility-scale and distributed storage projects across multiple Japanese prefectures, aiming to expand market-responsive storage capacity that supports Japan’s energy transition.