Tohoku Shinkansen Powers Operations with Mega-Solar through Off-Site PPA

On April 23, East Japan Railway Company (JR East) announced that it has signed an off-site Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Tohoku Electric Power, Mitsubishi HC Capital Energy (Chiyoda, Tokyo), and Kubota Honten (Sendai, Miyagi). This agreement will see a portion of the electricity required to operate the Tohoku Shinkansen sourced from renewable energy, with the implementation starting in May.

The PPA includes power from two solar energy projects: a 36MW mega-solar plant operated by Miyatake Mega-Solar, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi HC Capital Energy, and a 1.6MW mega-solar plant run by Kubota Honten. The electricity will be supplied for the operation of the Tohoku Shinkansen, specifically for the section between Koriyama and Shin-Aomori stations. Tohoku Electric Power will handle supply-demand adjustments and electricity distribution.

The annual electricity supply is expected to be around 47 million kWh, equivalent to the annual consumption of approximately 15,100 households. This will cover about 9% of the power required for the Tohoku Shinkansen’s operation between Koriyama and Shin-Aomori, and about 4% of the total electricity demand for all Shinkansen services within JR East's network. The environmental impact is also significant, with an estimated reduction in CO2 emissions by around 19,100 tons annually.

This collaboration marks the third off-site PPA initiative between JR East and Tohoku Electric Power, bringing the total renewable energy output capacity to 59.8MW. This includes one wind power facility and three solar power plants. JR East is committed to its long-term environmental goals through the “Zero Carbon Challenge 2050,” aiming for net-zero CO2 emissions across its operations by 2050.

Through this agreement, JR East continues to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and the integration of renewable energy sources into its operations, helping to reduce its carbon footprint while maintaining efficient, eco-friendly transportation services.