The Way Forward
Clean Energy Initiative
Miyako City's Blue Challenge Project
To help respond to the damage caused by the March 2011, Miyako City in Iwate prefecture teamed up with 12 private companies in November 2012 to launch the Miyako City Blue Challenge Project Council, which aims to introduce biomass power generation using wood grown locally. Repurposing this recycled wood is expected to lead to revitalization of the region's forest industry.
The project will include the construction of a unique biomass gasification plant called "BLUE Tower". Developed by Japan Blue Energy, a Tokyo-based venture firm, this innovative technology uses biomass energy sources including recycled wood chips to produce wood gas, from which hydrogen can be produced. The gas will be converted into heat and electricity.
The electricity produced will be sold through the government's Feed-in-Tariff system, while the heat will be used in greenhouse agriculture and other facilities, further helping to reactivate the agricultural industry in Miyako. Additionally, the hydrogen is expected to be used for fuel-cell vehicles (or Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, FCEW), which can travel longer distances than battery-powered electric vehicles between charging.
Scheduled to start operations in the fall of 2014, the plant construction costs are estimated at 2 billion yen and its output capacity will be 3,000 kilowatt. Partners playing important roles in the project include major corporations such as Toyota, which is planning to bring a mass-produced fuel-cell vehicle to the market in 2015, as well as SMEs.
Fukushima's Offshore Floating Wind Farm
In the wake of the nuclear disaster, Fukushima Prefecture has been seeking to diversify its energy sources, and has given marine wind power a key role in its renewable energy plan. The Fukushima project will be the world's first large-scale floating wind farm.
With the support of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, a consortium of 11 organizations including Marubeni, the University of Tokyo, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Nippon Steel Corporation was established in 2012 to manage the Experimental Offshore Floating Wind Farm Project.
Marine wind is typically strong and steady, which are ideal characteristics for power generation. In this pilot project, the consortium will install three floating offshore wind turbines with a total capacity of 16 megawatts and one floating power sub-station off the coast of Fukushima by the end of March 2016. In the 1st phase, the consortium will build the first 2 megawatt marine wind power facility and floating power sub-station by March 2013. Between 2013 and 2016, another two 7 megawatt wind turbines – some of the largest in the world – will be added.
What makes this project unique is the use of floating turbines, a new technology that has yet to be commercialized. Most existing offshore wind farms around the world stand in relatively shallow waters and use wind turbines attached to foundations that are fixed to the seabed. Since the water off the Fukushima coastline is 100m deep, common fixed-foundation turbines built on the ocean floor are not suitable. This new technology, however, makes the project viable and is an excellent example of using innovative solutions to overcome challenges.
Kesennuma's Woody Biomass Project
Forestry is one of the primary industries in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture. However, the majority of wood residue is abandoned without being reused. The Kesennuma Woody Biomass project aims to effectively repurpose the abundance of waste wood in the region by using it to generate electricity from biomass.
Though cutting down trees to thin forests is a necessary part of preserving a healthy forest environment, it also generates a large amount of wood residue. Funded by the Forestry Agency and Kessennuma City, the Kessennuma Woody Biomass project promotes sustainable natural resource management by recycling the discarded wood residue and turning it into energy in a biomass plant that is expected to start operation in April 2014.
Leading this project is Kesennuma Region Energy Development, a local venture company, which has already started collecting wood waste from the forestry industry as well as residents and other sources in Kessennuma. Those donating the wood will be compensated partially through local funding called "Reneria," which has been introduced on a trial basis to facilitate reinvestment in the community and foster community spirit and involvement.