Aurora Energy Research Supports RSBM’s 51MW Grid-Scale Battery Storage Project in Hiji, Oita Prefecture

Aurora Energy Research K.K. (Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; hereinafter “Aurora Energy Research”), a provider of research and consulting services, has supported the economic assessment of project revenues for the grid-scale battery storage project promoted by RSBM Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; a company established by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank and RS Asset Advisors to perform asset management for grid-scale battery businesses; hereinafter “RSBM”). The project, located in Hiji Town, Hayami District, Oita Prefecture, has a rated output of 51MW and a rated capacity of 204MWh.

The project is led by Godo Kaisha Altair as the project entity and has secured anonymous partnership investments from four domestic companies, in addition to completing a full-merchant project finance arrangement provided by a major domestic financial institution.

As renewable energy deployment accelerates, securing adequate balancing capability in the power system has become increasingly important. Grid-scale battery storage plays a critical role as infrastructure that provides supply–demand balancing, frequency control, and smoothing of renewable output fluctuations. This project responds to these growing societal needs while contributing to the creation of new value in the electricity market.

In this project, Aurora Energy Research conducted economic analyses, including cash flow modelling and optimal dispatch simulations. Globally, Aurora has developed detailed power market models for over 10 regions and supports the investment decision-making of a wide range of clients, including power companies, project developers, and financial institutions, as a market advisor. Moving forward, the company remains committed to contributing to the development of the battery storage industry and Japan’s power and energy markets through quantitative analysis using its proprietary power market models.