Kokusaikogyo's 'Enegairu' Supports Decarbonization Efforts by the Ministry of the Environment

Kokusaikogyo's 'Enegairu' Revolutionizes Solar Power Adoption

The international company Kokusaikogyo, headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo and led by CEO Kyoshi Fujiwara, has seen significant success with its solar power economic impact simulation service 'Enegairu'. This tool has been instrumental in aiding the Ministry of the Environment's Kinki Regional Environmental Office in promoting the introduction of solar power systems as part of its key measures accelerating decarbonization. The result has been a notable increase in subsidy application rates.

Addressing the Challenges

The Kinki Regional Environmental Office has identified a need for objective data to support the economic benefits of introducing solar power. Historically, many local governments faced low application rates for subsidies aimed at promoting solar power due to the prevailing belief that non-FIT (self-consumption type) solar power systems were less economically viable than FIT (feed-in tariff type) systems.

This misconception, largely unsupported by quantitative evidence, has hindered the effective use of subsidized budgets aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Shattering Conventional Wisdom with 'Enegairu'

Kokusaikogyo conducted a comprehensive analysis using 'Enegairu' to compare the economic viability of FIT and non-FIT solar power systems under certain conditions like the simultaneous implementation of storage batteries. The findings produced some revolutionary insights:

1. Minimal Economic Differences
Over a 15-year comparison, the total economic impact of FIT and non-FIT systems showed negligible differences.

2. Significant Economic Advantages with Subsidies
An approximate subsidy of 800,000 yen further proves that the 'Non-FIT + Subsidy' approach is the most attractive option in the Kinki region.

3. Clear ROI for Businesses
- Large Supermarkets (180 kW systems): Estimated annual savings of 4 million yen; payback period of about 7 years with subsidies.
- Medium-sized Factories (100 kW systems): Estimated annual savings of 1.95 million yen; payback period of about 8 years with subsidies.
- Small Factories (40 kW systems): Estimated annual savings of 840,000 yen; payback period of around 7 years with subsidies.

Outcomes and Impacts

The objective analysis led to a significant shift in the attitudes of local governments and sales companies after documents generated from this data were published.

Transformations Among Sales Companies

More sales companies are finding comfort in the data presented, with some completely revamping their subsidy application strategies based on these results.

Surge in Local Government Subsidy Execution Rates

In just a month and a half from implementing these findings, results exceeded three years' worth of prior achievements, leading numerous local governments to report swift depletion of budgets for residential projects.

According to Kazuhiko Suzuki, head of the Kinki Regional Environmental Office, the greatest successes of this initiative include:

1. Quantitative demonstration of the benefits of adopting solar power.
2. Evidence supporting the transition from 'Selling Power' to 'Self-Consumption' of solar energy.
3. A quantitative presentation showing the economic superiority of 'Non-FIT + Subsidy'.

The analysis outcomes have shed light on previously subjective market considerations, enabling confidence in decision-making among administrations, businesses, and consumers, thus contributing to the success of this initiative.

New Services to Further Back Renewable Energy Adoption

Riding on this momentum, Kokusaikogyo recognized the necessity to provide comprehensive support for prospective equipment implementers. Consequently, they developed the 'Enegairu BPO/BPaaS' service, set to launch in May 2025, which allows outsourcing of renewable energy introduction tasks completely.

Features of 'Enegairu BPO/BPaaS'

- Design Support & Layout Drafting: Assistance with basic design and drafting for solar power systems.
- Economic Effect Simulation & Report Generation: Rapid calculations using 'Enegairu' to produce high-quality reports
- Subsidy & System Connection Application Assistance: A dedicated team to handle renewable energy subsidy and METI application processes.
- Training and Workshops: Both online and offline training on solar and stored battery operations, along with practical training catered to 'Enegairu'.