Lead and lithium battery manufacturer GS Yuasa is to build a 2GWh per annum ESS manufacturing plant in Japan.

Yuasa said on August 31 the 44,400m² Ibaraki prefecture plant should start production of lithium ‘next generation’ stationary storage systems from October 2028.

Investment costs of the project were not disclosed, but the company said the new plant will draw on Yuasa’s extensive experience and expertise in storage batteries.

The plant will be supported by Yuasa’s production in Japan of necessary components including lithium-ion battery cells and control systems.

Yuasa said stationary energy storage systems are seeing growing demand worldwide as a source of balancing power required to stabilise electric power grids and support the expanded use of renewable energy as a primary power source.

Their applications are also increasing, including the self-consumption of renewable energy, peak shaving, and enhanced resilience in response to increasingly severe natural disasters.

Earlier this year, Yuasa revealed plans to expand traction battery operations and its distribution network across European markets.

The February announcement came just weeks after the corporation’s president, Takashi Abe, said Yuasa was considering a fresh investment boost in production overseas — as reported earlier by Batteries International.