Key Facts:
- Japan's JC-STAR cybersecurity conformity scheme will become a grid-connection requirement for high-voltage and extra-high-voltage solar and battery storage projects from 1 April 2027, and for low-voltage projects below 50 kW from 1 October 2027.
- The relevant compliance point is when a grid-connection contract application is **accepted** by the utility, rather than when it is submitted, making early planning critical for projects already in development.
- Equipment with IP communication functionality - including PCS, BMS, EMS and monitoring and control systems - is particularly affected, meaning cybersecurity conformity must be assessed at the specific product and model level during procurement.
- The requirements reflect a broader shift as connected energy assets face growing cybersecurity risks; a 2024 cyberattack affected approximately 800 remote monitoring devices at solar power facilities in Japan.
- GBP has obtained JC-STAR ★1 conformance labels for its GBP60M Modular PCS and GBP-EMS-001 Energy Management System, offering equipment options for projects preparing to meet the upcoming requirements.
New grid-connection requirements will make cybersecurity conformity an increasingly important consideration for developers, EPCs and system integrators planning energy projects in Japan.
Cybersecurity is set to become an increasingly important part of equipment selection for solar power and battery storage projects in Japan as new JC-STAR-related requirements begin taking effect from 2027.
JC-STAR is Japan's cybersecurity conformity assessment and labeling scheme for connected products. It is operated by the Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA) under a policy framework established by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Products that meet the applicable cybersecurity requirements can receive a JC-STAR conformance label.
For the energy sector, the significance of the scheme is becoming increasingly practical as JC-STAR ★1 conformity is incorporated into certain grid-connection requirements for solar and battery storage projects.
New requirements from 2027
For high-voltage and extra-high-voltage solar power and battery storage projects, the requirement applies to projects whose grid-connection contract applications are accepted on or after 1 April 2027.
For low-voltage projects below 50 kW, the corresponding requirement applies to applications accepted on or after 1 October 2027.
The timing is particularly important for projects already under development, as the relevant point is when the grid-connection contract application is accepted by the relevant utility, rather than simply when it is submitted.
Solar and battery storage projects often involve long development cycles, with system architecture, equipment specifications, supplier selection and grid-connection planning determined well before construction or commissioning.
Cybersecurity becomes part of equipment selection
The requirements are particularly relevant to equipment with IP communication functionality, including PCS, BMS, EMS and certain monitoring and control equipment.
For developers, EPCs and system integrators, this means traditional equipment-selection criteria such as performance, capacity, compatibility, communication interfaces, price and delivery will increasingly need to be considered alongside cybersecurity conformity.
JC-STAR status may therefore need to be reviewed at the specific product and model level before equipment specifications and procurement decisions are finalised.
The development also reflects a wider shift in the energy sector. As solar power plants and battery storage facilities become increasingly connected for monitoring, communication and control, equipment installed within energy infrastructure can also become part of the cybersecurity attack surface. In 2024, approximately 800 remote monitoring devices used at solar power facilities in Japan were affected by a cyberattack, highlighting the growing relevance of cybersecurity to connected energy assets.
GBP prepares for upcoming project requirements
GBP's GBP60M Modular PCS and GBP-EMS-001 Energy Management System have obtained the JC-STAR ★1 conformance label, providing equipment options for solar and battery storage projects preparing for Japan's upcoming requirements.
For project teams, cybersecurity conformity is expected to become one part of a broader equipment-selection and system-design process that also considers capacity, system compatibility, control requirements, interfaces and grid-connection conditions.
As energy infrastructure becomes increasingly connected, cybersecurity is moving beyond an IT-only issue and becoming a practical consideration in energy project development and procurement.
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Based in Japan, GBP K.K. offers end-to-end renewable energy solutions - from solar component manufacturing and system design to construction and O&M. Feel free to reach out to us for anything renewable energy related!
