Why Osaka Gas's Power Business Is on Fire

Osaka Gas Executive Officer Noboru Kuroda and Professor Akie Iriyama discuss the strengths of the company’s power business—now among Japan’s top five independent power retailers—and the talent profile they are hiring for.

• Osaka Gas ranks in the top five among Japan’s independent power retailers, with annual profit on the order of ¥230 billion
• A new power plant in Himeji came online in January 2026, and the company’s 4 GW renewable energy development target was hit ahead of schedule
• LNG procurement contracts, receiving terminals, pipeline networks, and a 2-million-customer base form a high barrier to entry for rivals
• As feed-in tariff (FIT) subsidies expire, the company is shifting to a model that sells renewable electricity directly to customers without intermediaries
• Corporate customers’ 2030 decarbonization commitments are driving demand for renewable electricity
• Mid-career hires from investment-bank M&A divisions and consulting firms are leading renewable energy project development, acquisitions, and fund formation
• AI-driven data center power demand is a tailwind; Kuroda emphasizes that energy access is the most critical challenge facing all eight billion people on the planet

2026-04-28 · Watch on YouTube

Japanese page: 大阪ガスの電力事業が熱い理由