ITOCHU Corporation (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Masahiro Okafuji, President & CEO; hereinafter “ITOCHU”) announced today that it will launch the Smart Star L (hereinafter, the “system”), a new model of lithium-ion storage battery system for domestic use, in May 2017.

The system features use of lithium-ion batteries with high energy density, which has enabled its large capacity and compact size. The rated capacity of 9.8kWh enables the system to supply power for approximately one day (approx. 10 kWh) to a standard household. The system also comes with a “function for backing up the whole house” in the event of a power failure, which is not limited to specific outlets, and allows 200V equipment, such as an air conditioner and an IH cooker, to continue operating even during isolated operation of the system in the event of power failure. Thanks to the uniquely developed system control, the system also features high compatibility with solar power generation and is capable of operating a solar power generation system normally, even during a power failure.

It is said that use of solar power as renewable energy for power generation will be even more prevalent around the world in the future. However, there are issues such as the increasing load on power transmission and distribution systems and the complex supply and demand adjustment. As a result, parallel establishment of energy storage systems is attracting attention. Energy storage systems will be increasingly important in Japan for self-consumption of generated power as well because the period for the feed-in-tariff scheme will begin to expire for residential solar power generation systems in 2019.

ITOCHU is involved in marketing of major battery materials and components, developing a value chain utilizing the group’s network and working to create new value.　For example, it is promoting the lithium-ion battery business as an eco-friendly business activity. ITOCHU is also considering the possibility of operating the Virtual Power Plant* (VPP) business in the future using the system, as the control margin for power system stabilization. By marketing the system, ITOCHU will contribute to the efficient operation of renewable energy, stabilization of power supply, and building a distributed energy society in Japan.