Furusato, Tokyo Gas collaborate to make geothermal power in Japan more competitive
Oguni town in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan (source: The original uploader was JohnHarvey at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons)
Carlo Cariaga
28 Jan 2025
Furusato and Tokyo Gas will be collaborating to improve the efficiency of geothermal power plants and promote community-driven geothermal business models.
Furusato Thermoden Co. Ltd. (Furusato) and Tokyo Gas Engineering Solutions Corporation (TGES) has signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on optimizing geothermal power plants in Japan and optimizing costs over their life cycle through cascade heat use.
The partnership will focus on the existing 2-MW Waita No. 1 Geothermal Power Plant, which has been operating since 2015 in the Kumamoto Prefecture, and the 5-MW Waita No. 2 Geothermal Power Plant, which has been under construction since early 2024.
By combining Furusato’s 10 years of practical experience in the construction and operation of geothermal power plants, and TGES’s knowledge of optimal heat use and plant construction, the partnership strives to improve the competitiveness of geothermal energy. The two companies would also like to expand the Waita area’s community-based geothermal power business model nationwide.
The “Waita Model” is founded on the leading role that local residents take in the construction and operation of the geothermal power plant. The revenues from the sale of electricity generated are then used to support initiatives that revitalize the local community. The model has been proven to be a great example of how geothermal power facilities can operate side-by-side with local onsen operations.
Source: Tokyo Gas
