
The campus central control facility, photographed at commissioning. (Company photo)
OSAKA — Ikigai Energy Systems, a division of Ikigai Global Industries, today broke ground on a purpose-built residential research campus in Osaka Prefecture, where the company's next generation of grid storage technology will be developed under a continuous development methodology.
The campus will provide dormitories, dining facilities, medical care, and training halls within a single secured perimeter, permitting research staff to remain on site for the full duration of a project cycle. The company expects this arrangement to eliminate the productivity losses associated with commuting, holidays, and the ordinary interruptions of daily life.
"We asked our researchers what they needed to do the finest work of their lives," said Dr. Haruto Shiozaki, then Director of Advanced Storage Research. "They answered honestly, and we have built accordingly. Some of them have asked when they may move in. The answer is: soon."
Initial occupancy is planned for the spring of 2020, with the first full project cycle to commence immediately thereafter. Families of resident staff will be accommodated at a visitors' facility adjacent to the perimeter, with visitation scheduled quarterly.
The campus is expected to reach a resident population of eight hundred within its first three years of operation. As of this writing, applications for residential appointment exceed available places by a factor of eleven.