Initiated commercial solar and storage deployment across Katsumata Motors dealership networks

Reducing Electricity Costs and CO₂ Emissions at Dealerships and Facilities

VPP startup SODEN Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chuo City, Tokyo; Representative Director: Rui Iino; hereafter “SODEN”) is working with Katsumata Jidosha Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture; President: Ryuichi Katsumata) to begin installing solar power systems and battery storage at Toyota dealerships within the Katsumata group. The initiative will start at selected locations and expand in stages according to the conditions at each site.

Background and Objectives

By installing solar power systems at Toyota dealerships within the group, the initiative aims to reduce electricity costs through on-site consumption while lowering CO₂ emissions.

At sites with greater power demand and larger solar generation capacity, battery storage will be installed alongside the solar systems to make more efficient use of the energy generated. In addition to optimizing electricity use during normal operations, the batteries can serve as backup power during disasters, supporting business continuity and strengthening local disaster preparedness.

Soden will manage the process from equipment selection and design through construction oversight, supporting prompt installation tailored to the conditions of each dealership. The companies are currently preparing for installation together, with the systems scheduled to be installed and operational during fiscal 2026.

Comments

Ryuichi Katsumata, President, Katsumata Jidosha Co., Ltd.

“Soden has the capability to manage the entire process, from simulations through construction, making it a highly trusted partner for us.

While responding to rising electricity costs is one objective, we see this initiative as an opportunity to rethink how we use energy. By introducing solar power and battery storage, we intend to transform each location from a place that simply consumes energy into one that generates energy and uses it effectively.

We believe these efforts will contribute to a future in which mobility and energy work together, and ultimately help lay the groundwork for the hydrogen society that Toyota is promoting.

Our company and group companies will continue to pursue both sustainable development and business growth as mobility providers rooted in our local communities.”

Rui Iino, Representative Director, Soden Co., Ltd.

“The planned introduction of solar power systems and battery storage at Toyota dealerships within the Katsumata group is a significant initiative. It will change how energy is used while making use of existing business locations.

Growing geopolitical risks, fluctuations in energy prices, and changes in electricity supply and demand have made energy supply less stable and electricity costs more pressing. Tensions involving Iran and the broader Middle East have added to these concerns. It is increasingly important for companies to generate, store, and use energy effectively themselves.

Using our VPP software, we will help optimize energy costs by bringing distributed energy resources together and controlling them as an integrated system.

By working with a locally rooted mobility provider such as Katsumata Jidosha, we will create new value that connects energy and mobility.”