By MARI FUJISAKI/ Staff Writer Editors note: This is the first of a two-part series on efforts being made to promote renewable energy sources. * * * When fears spread across Japan after the Fukushima nuclear accident started, Ken Isono decided to scrap his plans to travel abroad. He said the triple meltdown at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant in March 2011 made him feel that his generation had a responsibility to increase power sources that do not harm the natural environment. That led to the creation of Shizen Energy, a company that promotes renewable energy sources and gives back to the host communities. The Tokyo-based company started out with just Isono and two of his friends. It now employs about 60 people and has set up solar farms in five prefectures ranging from the Tohoku region to Kyushu that generate a total of 7.5 megawatts of electricity. Shizen Energy is also involved in an additional 155 power generation plans in 26 prefectures. One of the company’s projects is unfolding in Koshi, Kumamoto Prefecture, located northeast of Kumamoto city. The Koshi area is known for its dairy and vegetable farming because it is blessed with abundant sunlight and fertile soil created by nearby Mount Aso. In February 2014, about 14,500 square meters of idle land owned by the Koshi municipal government was transformed into a solar power generation facility with a capacity of 1 megawatt. The facility, situated amid onion fields, features 3,920 solar panels capable of generating enough electricity for about 360 households. It is jointly operated by Shizen Energy, the Koshi municipal government and Kumamoto Flour Milling Co., a company based in Kumamoto city. The project is expected to generate about 40 million yen ($347,000) in annual revenue through sales of the electricity to power companies under the feed-in tariff system. The system purchases electricity at higher prices to encourage the promotion of renewable energy sources. A number of electric power companies have recently said they would temporarily stop buying energy through the feed-in tariff system because the limited capacity of their distribution networks could cause blackouts and other glitches. At least five utilities have made that decision, affecting about 20 projects that Shizen Energy is involved in. However, Isono, 33, is unfazed. “We expected this to happen,” he said. “In the meantime, we will proceed with plans that require more time to construct than solar farms, such as wind power generation. We will stop blaming others for our problems.” Shizen Energy and its partners believe their projects can continue because they help the host communities. For the Koshi project, the company agreed to set aside several million yen a year from its revenues to support local agriculture. “We hope to have the solar farm here for 20 years,” Isono said. “We want to develop ties with the local community so residents will be able to say they were glad to have the facility.” Local farmers in their 20s and 30s will decide how the money is used. At a meeting in autumn 2013 to hash out what projects to support, Midori Goto, a dairy farmer, proposed starting an “izakaya” bar and cafe that uses locally grown produce. In explaining why she became involved in the project, Goto said, “Unlike subsidies, we were able to freely think about how to use the money.” After graduating from university, Isono developed an interest in environmental business on a visit to the Caribbean. He learned that the blue ocean and mangrove forests were being threatened by oil exploration projects. Although he later joined Recruit Co., he continued to feel the need to resolve environmental problems through business. He left Recruit after two years and joined a wind power generation company. However, the reality of wind power was somewhat different from Isono’s ideal. For one thing, many local residents were opposed to wind power projects because they marred the landscape and the windmills caused noise pollution. Isono considered moving abroad to work on renewable energy sources. But the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant changed his plans. Personal connections were used to get Shizen Energy started. In one case, the father of a company member was asked for permission to install solar panels on the roof of his factory. Through trial and error, the company developed the ability to handle all aspects of managing a solar farm, from searching for available land to designing, constructing and running the facility. The start of the feed-in tariff system in July 2012 gave Shizen Energy added momentum. Local governments seeking to install solar farms on idle land were impressed by the stance of Isono and his colleagues to revert benefits to the local community, and orders started coming in to Shizen Energy. In January 2013, the company entered a partnership with juwi, one of the world’s largest solar power generation companies, that has a similar business model as Shizen Energy. In keeping with the local orientation of the company, Isono also plans to move the company headquarters from Tokyo to Fukuoka city in Kyushu by the end of the year. “The nuclear accident demonstrated the risks of having businesses concentrated in Tokyo,” Isono said. “Rather than being centered in Tokyo, we want to conduct business that leads to more jobs in outlying areas.” By MARI FUJISAKI/ Staff Writer ajw.asahi/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201412040006
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 03:05:36 +0000
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