Century Tokyo Invests in Ciel & Terre to Grow in Floating Solar

Century Tokyo Leasing Corp. acquired a 15 percent stake in French developer Ciel & Terre International to add floating-solar technology.Ciel & Terre’s systems are essential for such an expansion, Century Tokyo said Tuesday in a statement, without disclosing financial terms. It already has three floating solar power plants in Japan with Kyocera Corp. totaling 5.2 megawatts, using the French company’s technology.

Floating solar systems lay photovoltaic panels over inland bodies of water such as reservoirs, quarry lakes or irrigation canals. While the business is still in its infancy, it’s growing in Japan as the country works to expand renewable-energy generation following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Earlier this year, Kyocera and Century Tokyo completed a 2.3-megawatt floating solar station in western Japan, the world’s largest. They’re now developing a 13.7-megawatt plant, according to the statement.