LS Electric Chairman Koo Ja-Gyun (right) shakes hands with Kyudenko Vice President Masaaki Jono during the signing ceremony for a memorandum of understanding between the two companies in Seoul on Sunday. (LS Electric)

Korean electrical equipment manufacturer LS Electric announced a partnership with Kyudenko, a Kyushu Electric Power Company subsidiary, to enter Japan’s growing battery energy storage system market.

The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Hotel on Sunday, with LS Electric Chairman Koo Ja-Gyun and Kyudenko Vice President Masaaki Jono in attendance.

Kyudenko, based in Fukuoka, is a major player in Japan’s electrical construction industry and has been increasingly focused on renewable energy projects. One of its flagship initiatives is the 470-megawatt Ukujima solar power plant -- the largest in the Kyushu region. LS Electric has already been supplying key equipment to this project, including high-voltage direct current transformers and ring main units for managing power distribution. Now, the companies are expanding their collaboration to focus specifically on BESS technology.

BESS is an essential component in renewable energy systems, as it helps store surplus electricity generated by solar and wind energy. Japan has experienced a significant surge in renewable energy development, especially following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.

Under the agreement, Kyudenko will be responsible for developing and managing BESS projects from the ground up, as well as the logistical and regulatory side of the projects. This includes everything from identifying and securing project sites to obtaining permits, connecting to the grid, and overseeing construction and operations.

LS Electric will provide the technology behind these storage systems. They will design and supply all necessary components, such as power conversion systems and batteries. LS Electric brings a wealth of experience to this role, having already built a 1.4 gigawatt-hour BESS in South Korea and executed several other energy storage projects across Asia.

“While Japan is our immediate focus with the memorandum, we’re also planning to expand into international markets with Kyudenko in the future," said Cho Wook-dong, senior vice president and director of electric energy solutions at LS Electric.

By Moon Joon-hyun (mjh@heraldcorp.com)