Japan urged to utilize its geothermal resources effectively
Yamagawa geothermal power plant, Japan
Francisco Rojas
31 Aug 2015
Small scale geothermal development is seen as the best way forward for Japan.
Japan has promising geothermal potential and resources yet it sees little development. A local Japanese newspaper supports this idea and openly encourages the promotion of the nation’s geothermal potential.
Despite being safe and tested, the growth in this sector in the asian giant has been disappointing, yet good news might be around the corner.
The Japan News states that “after the disaster at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, expectations for renewable energy have grown. Also driven by the government’s feed-in tariff system for energy generated from renewable resources, the number of geothermal power generation projects has been rapidly increasing. There have been movements to develop geothermal power, including those at the feasibility study stage, at about 70 locations.”
Even more, some areas in forests and protected regions are seeing a new development era thanks to directional drilling. The government is also investing heavily in involving and educating local communities and and avoiding creating large plants (that would require large buildings/areas) and focus on small scale since most of the zones with higher potential are also know for their delicate environment and for being popular tourist destinations.
The newspaper seems to be a big supporter of the small scale process since it is faster, easier and has a lesser impact.
Source: The Japan News
