The world’s first LNG-integrated Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) plant, owned by our parent company Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (SHI), has achieved its first synchronization with the Japanese grid in Hiroshima, Japan, on October 30.
This milestone marks the start of full system commissioning, with all charge, storage, and discharge systems now operational. Commercial operation is targeted for December 2025.
This breakthrough will unlock new potential in Japan’s infrastructure by powering the grid with energy generated from clean air and delivered on demand – a powerful demonstration of how the LAES technology can provide carbon-free flexibility globally.
With 20 MWh of capacity and up to 4 hours of discharge duration, the plant is designed to deliver reliable, zero-emissions power when it’s needed most.
“The plant project will show how the LAES technology can unlock renewable integration while providing critical grid stability. It is an important step toward our vision of realizing a clean, reliable, and resilient energy infrastructure for a net-zero future. As a location-agnostic solution that can be deployed at scale directly at the point of need, LAES offers unique flexibility to meet energy system challenges wherever they arise,” says Yoichi Kato, Vice President and Head of Energy & Environment Group at Sumitomo Heavy Industries.
SHI is a leading investor and technology partner of Highview since 2020. The LAES plant is based on Highview Power’s LAES technology.
