People 06.2024

Scaling up battery storage to support the renewables sector: Masaya’s story

Scaling up battery storage to support the renewables sector: Masaya’s story

We spoke to Masaya, a secondee from JERA to Zenobē, the UK-based battery storage pioneer, about his experiences working at the forefront of the development of the BESS industry and the importance of scaling up battery storage to support the renewables sector.

Masaya, could you tell us about your career so far?

I started my career at Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) as an electrical engineer. My work focused on the design, operation and maintenance of power distribution networks – infrastructure such as cables, power pole, transformers that distribute electricity throughout the Tokyo region. I moved through roles within TEPCO all focused on overseas projects, including advising on distribution utilities in Asia and technical due diligence for renewable and microgrid projects, including Battery Storage.

When did you join Zenobē?

In 2019, JERA and TEPCO jointly invested in Zenobē Energy, a UK-based battery storage specialist that develops and operates grid scape Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and runs and EV fleet business. I was involved in the due diligence on the investment and was impressed with the business and the great passion of its founders. I went on secondment to learn their expertise and benefit from working in a market that was much more advanced than Japan’s, joining JERA during this period and moving to the UK in 2019 for what was initially meant to be a year or two, nearly five years now!

What projects are you currently working on/ What does your current role involve?

I’m working on the engineering design of Zenobē’s 1GW/2GWh BESS portfolio in Scotland. These sites are directly connected to the transmission system and provide multiple services with innovative design, addressing frequency, voltage and inertia challenges in ways that are more efficient and cost effective than conventional technologies. For example, the Blackhillock 200MW site is the first battery in the world to provide stability services using a state of art inverter technology (grid forming). I’ve been working closely with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) on the plant’s design since 2020, and the site is schedule to be operational this year.

What’s kept you at Zenobē?

With a vision ‘to make clean energy accessible’, the company has grown significantly over the last five years, and it’s been exciting to be part of that story. When I joined in 2019, there were 20 of us in the team and the company operated 75MW BESS assets. Now the company has around 300 staff and we are developing more than 1GW of BESS projects as well as accelerating the switch to EV buses across the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

Can you explain more about why is battery storage is key to the energy transition?

The energy transition will require massive developments in battery storage. As renewable resources increase, conventional power systems are facing the multiple challenges including frequency fluctuation and system congestion and curtailment. BESS plays a key role in addressing these challenges by allowing energy generated by renewable sources to be stored and then used when it is needed.

For example, the UK is rapidly transitioning to a carbon-free power system, primarily though wind power. In Scotland, most electricity is generated by wind farms and transmitted to London via long-distance transmission lines, which can cause grid congestion due delays in system upgrades. In simple terms, this means that when the congestion occurs, the grid operator ‘turns off’ the power generated by wind in Scotland and ‘turns on’ another source of energy such as a less sustainable thermal power plant near London to relieve the congestion. Zenobē is developing a strong BESS portfolio in the Scotland to allow the power generated by wind farms to be stored and then used at optimal times for the grid, while also providing other grid support services.

Zenobē is really at the forefront of this industry, with leading expertise and a growing portfolio, and it’s encouraging to see the growth the whole industry is starting to see. The latest IEA World Energy Investment report showed that investments in battery storage are ramping up and are set to exceed USD 50 billion in 2024, so it’s a particularly interesting time to be part of the team.

We launched JERA Nex earlier this year, what excites you about this milestone?

The launch of JERA Nex was an exciting milestone not only for the company, but for scaling the renewable energy industry and the battery storage capacity that supports it. Historically, JERA has been more than just an investor in Zenobē, it’s more of a strategic partnership where we share expertise and learnings, working together closely on projects and a shared wider ambition to deliver the energy transition. Now, with the launch of JERA Nex bringing together JERA’s renewables portfolio into a dedicated business, and particularly given both JERA Nex and Zenobē are based in London, I’m excited about the new opportunities and shared learnings that will come from the company’s significant growth ambitions.

What benefits does Zenobē bring to JERA Nex?

In practical terms, it’s about the exchange of knowledge. The UK’s renewables market is more mature than Japan’s, and the expertise in Zenobē is invaluable as we scale up renewables infrastructure globally. One example of this in action is that when JERA acquired Green Power Investment (GPI) in Japan, they were developing Japan’s largest offshore wind project with 100MW BESS in Ishikari Bay. Since this was GPI’s first experience developing a BESS site, I went out to Hokkaido to support the team with site commissioning, and the site successfully achieved COD earlier this year. Now, with the exciting project pipeline JERA Nex is developing, there’ll be more opportunities to put that knowledge to use and deliver integrated projects.

Why do you think people should work at JERA Nex?

JERA Nex aims to become a leading global player in the renewable energy business with a very ambitious growth mentality. This, combined with the resilience and scale that comes with JERA’s support, creates unique position in the market. I believe that working at JERA Nex during this period of growth will enhance my personal development and provide extremely valuable experience, and there are lots of different opportunities for others to be part of the journey.

Finally, can you describe JERA Nex in three words?

Innovation, Battery, Collaboration

Read more about careers at JERA Nex here.