Edamame beans being grown using geothermal heat in Hachimantai, Japan
Edamame beans (source: femme run / flickr, Creative Commons)
Carlo Cariaga
6 Oct 2022
The Hachimantai Smart Farm in Iwate Prefecture, Japan is using residual heat from the Matsuka Geothermal Power Plant for year-round cultivation of edamame beans.
An agricultural greenhouse located in Hachimantai City in Iwate Prefecture, Japan is growing green soybeans or edamame beans using residual heat from the nearby Matsukawa Geothermal Power Station. The edamame is produced by Hachimantai Smart Farm, an agricultural corporation run by an IT company in Tokyo.
Built in 1966, the 23.5-MW Matsuka Geothermal Power Station is the first commercial geothermal power station in Japan. Hot water generated by the station after power production is supplied to several surrounding greenhouses for agricultural applications. In the case of Hachimantai Smart Farm, geothermal heat is used to control the temperature of the greenhouse using IT technology to facilitate hydroponic cultivation of the edamame beans.
By maintaining the temperature inside the greenhouse at 30 degrees Celsius, edamame beans can be harvested all year round. According to Norihiro Kodama, a representative of Hachimantai Smart Farm, the same temperature control technology can also be used for basil cultivation.
“I think that geothermal edamame, which is cultivated year-round, absorbs CO2, which cannot be imitated by others. We plan to expand sales channels while increasing the number,” added Kodama.
Source: Iwate Broadcasting Company
