Geothermal power in Japan

Japan has favorable sites for geothermal power because of its proximity to the Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc. In 2007, Japan had 535.2 MW of installed electric generating capacity, about 5% of the world total. Geothermal power plays a minor role in the energy sector in the country: in 2013 it supplied 2596 GWh of electricity, representing about 0.25% of the country’s total electricity supply.

Development of new geothermal power stations essentially stopped since the mid 1990s, mainly due to the strong resistance from local communities. Most of the potential sites are located in government-protected areas and in tourist destinations, thanks to the presence of traditional hot springs or onsen. Local communities in these areas are often dependent on revenue from tourists visiting onsen, and are opposed to geothermal developments because of the negative impact that the industry may have on the scenery and the resulting damage to the tourism industry and the local economy.

However, interest in geothermal energy has been increasing in recent years due to the Japanese energy crisis following the Fukushima disaster and the subsequent closure of most of the country’s nuclear power stations. Businesses and the government are currently considering over 60 possible sites for new geothermal power development. Estimates put the total capacity potential of geothermal power at 23 GW, the third largest amount in the world after the United States and Indonesia. An estimation suggests that about 1,500 hot water wells and springs could generate as much as 723 MWe without additional drillings.

Technology
Japan has developed advanced technologies for the exploration, development, utilization and monitoring of geothermal resources. Due to the stagnant domestic geothermal sector, most of the technologies have been used in overseas development in recent years. Japan provided about 67% of all the turbines used in geothermal power stations in the world in the last 10 years.

History
The country’s first experimental geothermal power station was opened in 1925 in Beppu, Ōita Prefecture. However, research in geothermal energy was slowed down by the Second World War. The first full scale geothermal power generation plant was Matsukawa in Iwate Prefecture, owned by Nihon Heavy Chemical Industory Corp. The plant started operating in 1966 with a capacity of 9.5 MW. In 1967, Otake Geothermal Power station in Ōita Prefecture, owned by Kyushu Electric Power, launched with 11 MW. After these first generation facilities, which were considered large scale experimental plants, from the mid-1970s new generation more efficient geothermal plants were opened. Until the mid-1980s, these were typically mid-sized plants with capacities of around 50 MW. Starting from the late 1980s more advanced technologies allowed for the economical exploration and development of even smaller geothermal resources, allowing the launch of several smaller scale plants. Total generation reached 500 MW in 1996.

Current status
The amount of electricity generated by geothermal power generation in Japan is about 530 MW in 2010, only 0.2% of total electricity generation including other electricity generation. This corresponds to the power generation amount for one medium-scale nuclear reactor. Even in Kyushu where geothermal power generation is relatively active, it is only 2% of the total electricity generation. It is said that the popularization of geothermal power generation in Japan has been stagnant mainly due to the regulation of the National Parks and National Parks during development and the opposition from the hot spring areas (as described in detail below).

Nevertheless, because the Japanese archipelago is an environment with many volcanoes, it is estimated that the reserve of geothermal power generation in Japan is large, about 33 GW (33,000 MW). It is pointed out that development of geothermal power generation should be proactively promoted as Japan, which rely on importing most of the fuel from overseas, can be valuable domestically produced energy.

The technology of Japanese companies involved in geothermal power generation is high, 140 MW and one is the world’s largest geothermal power plant (NA • Awa • Plura Geothermal Power Station – English version) Fuji Electric Systems (now Fuji Electric (former Fuji Electric Toshiba delivered a 166 MW turbine generator exceeding that to New Zealand, as of 2010, three Japanese companies of Fuji Electric, Toshiba and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. were engaged in global geothermal power generation facilities It supplies 70% capacity plant.

In April 2011, Japanese Ministry of the Environment issued a “Study of Potential for the introduction of Renewable Energy” report. It has shown total 19.14GW of Japanese geothermal resource potential.

On the other hand, research on geothermal power generation in Japan has been cheered for many years, geothermal power generation was excluded from new energy by the New Energy Law in 1997, and research in the country was hardly continued. The geothermal project that is subject to “Special Measures Law on the Use of New Energy, etc. by Electric Utility (RPS Law)” started from 2003 is subject to “steam flushing” on condition that “it does not significantly decrease hot water” Because the system was hard to be certified, the market development in Japan was also stagnant, literally in the 2000s geothermal ‘winter era’ was continued In 2008, only binary power generation returned to new energy and geothermal power generation The possibility of the flash power generation which is the main in the system is lost in the system. . In the same year, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry launched a study group on geothermal power generation, and in FY2010, although considering raising subsidies for development cost of geothermal power generation, it was far from realization. . In 2010, the survey itself was endangered due to including “Geothermal Development Promotion Survey Project” and “Geothermal Power Development Project” as subjects of the sorting of the Democratic administration, but the Great East Japan Great Earthquake of 2011 and the accompanying Fukushima Dai Due to the accident at one nuclear power plant, as part of renewable energy development, interest in deregulation towards the development of geothermal power generation came to be taken. For example, in June of the same year, the Ministry of the Environment began reviewing the two major issues in setting up geothermal power plants “regulations on national and national parks” and “assessment of impact on hot spring facilities.” In the following 2012, we decided to purchase electricity by renewable energy including geothermal power generation at 42 yen per kW for 15 years. In addition, regulations relating to national parks have been relaxed, and a large number of surveys and plans have been initiated for the operation of small geothermal power generation to be described later.

Relationship with National National Park
As one of the major reasons why the establishment of geothermal power generation did not proceed positively in Japan, there were cases where many candidates for power plants were designated as National Parks and National Parks. “Do not build new geothermal power plants in national parks except for existing power plants” that was exchanged between the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (currently • Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) and the Ministry of the Environment in 1972 (Showa 47) By virtue of the memorandum of understanding that it is practically unnecessary to establish a new power station.

Promoters such as the Japan Geothermal Association argued that construction of geothermal power generation could be done depending on the discretion of the Ministry of the Environment, as large huge dams and large facilities are also located in the national parks. ). As already mentioned, the Environment Agency is reviewing from 2011, and deregulation is proceeding in 2012, such as the fact that development projects in the national park are no longer required.

A fight with hot spring areas
Another major reason why the development of geothermal power generation does not proceed was against opposition from the hot spring area. This is due to the establishment of geothermal power generation, depletion of hot springs, lowering of hot water, temperature drop of hot springs, and rebound which may damage the landscape are persistent. In fact, the Japan Hot Spring Association has announced its opposition to geothermal development. Also, at Tsumagoi Village in Gumma Prefecture, a plan for geothermal power generation emerged in 2008 (Heisei 20th), but the planned location is only a few kilometers away from the source of Kusatsu hot springs, so the possibility of affecting hot springs Kusatsu Town expressed opposition as not being able to eliminate necessarily. In Kusatsu hot spring, we also oppose conducting an underground boring survey etc. to verify the existence of causal relation between geothermal power generation and hot springs.

However, as a result of the scientific investigation on geothermal energy and hot spring resources in the underground from the geothermal power promotion school, in Japan the development scale of the geothermal power plant is smaller than foreign countries and meticulous in maintaining geothermal resources Since attention has been paid, there is also no argument that the geothermal power plant has affected the surrounding environment such as hot springs as an example. It also suggests that coexistence and co-prosperity between geothermal power plants and hot springs / sightseeing spots is possible.

There is also pointed out that it is difficult to solve the opposite from the hot spring site because there is no established mechanism to mediate between the geothermal power station and the surrounding hot springs around the use of the underground heat source. For example, in utilization of water use, there is a history that is said to be a water fighting, the upstream area never monopolizes water ownership right, and the habit of arbitration between upstream and downstream has been long since. Regarding the underground heat source, however, only the hot spring agent has so far monopolized the hot spring right and made it a vested interest. Therefore, even if it goes around the underground heat source, it says that a mechanism of mediation that can consult between geothermal power generation and hot spring area is newly necessary.

Geothermal Power Station in Japan
It is concentrated in part of Tohoku region and Kyushu region where there are many volcanoes. Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Kyushu Electric Power Company ‘s power station name can not bear’ geothermal ‘. In the Hatchobaru power station, in recent years it has realized power generation cost of 7 yen / kWh.

In order to manage the underground geothermal reservoir and not to deplete the geothermal energy, the power generation capacity per plant is as small as several tens of MW equivalent to general hydroelectric power generation. The plant is small, but by exchanging planned consumables and managing reservoirs, it is possible to supply stable electricity for a long period of time and the risk of accidents is small, so that a very small number of people familiar with engineering Operation and maintenance and inspections are being carried out by workers of. Currently, the high cost of managing consumables and reservoirs is an impediment to impeding the spread of geothermal power generation in Japan.

In addition, looking at geothermal power generation from the viewpoint of counter terrorism, due to the nature as an important protective facility, nuclear power plants where resident of nuclear-related facility cautionary force are stationed for guerrilla command and attack from suspicious ships, disaster prevention On top of that, there are fewer security concerns than other power generation methods, such as thermal power plants that require the self-defense fire-fighting organization (self-defense fire brigade) having a certain capacity to stay permanently, so the power plant that is being driven unattended Many.

The state of the unmanned power station is monitored at all times by data communication from the operator who is working at the remote facility and experts go to the site and carry out management and repair work etc. as necessary.

Geothermal power plant in Japan
It is concentrated in part of Tohoku region and Kyushu region where there are many volcanoes . Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Kyushu Electric Power Company ‘s power station name can not bear’ geothermal ‘. In the Hatchobaru power station , in recent years it has realized power generation cost of 7 yen / kWh.

In order to manage the underground geothermal reservoir and not to deplete the geothermal energy, the power generation capacity per plant is as small as several tens of MW equivalent to general hydroelectric power generation . The plant is small, but by exchanging planned consumables and managing reservoirs, it is possible to supply stable electricity for a long period of time and the risk of accidents is small, so that a very small number of people familiar with engineering Operation and maintenance and inspections are being carried out by workers of. Currently, the high cost of managing consumables and reservoirs is an impediment to impeding the spread of geothermal power generation in Japan.

In addition, looking at geothermal power generation from the viewpoint of counter terrorism , due to the nature as an important protective facility , nuclear power plants where resident ofnuclear-related facility cautionary force are stationed for guerrilla command and attack from suspicious ships , disaster prevention On top of that, there are fewer security concerns than other power generation methods, such as thermal power plants that require the self- defense fire-fighting organization (self-defense fire brigade) having a certain capacity to stay permanently, so the power plant that is being driven unattended Many.

The state of the unmanned power station is monitored at all times by data communication from the operator who is working at the remote facility and experts go to the site and carry out management and repair work etc. as necessary.

List of geothermal power plants in Japan
Prefecture prefecture city Power generation company Power plant position capacity
(MW)
Hokkaido Morimachi Hokkaido Electric Power Co. Mori Power Station map 25
Iwate Prefecture Hachimantairi Northeast Hydroelectric Geothermal Matsukawa Geothermal Power Station map 23.5
Shizukuishi-cho Tohoku Electric Power Co. Kakkonda Geothermal Power Station map 80
Miyagi Prefecture Osaki Power supply development Onikobe Geothermal Power Station map 15
Akita Yuzawa Tohoku Electric Power Co. Upland thermal power plant map 28.8
Kazuno Tohoku Electric Power Co. Sumikawa Geothermal Power Station map 50
Mitsubishi Materials Onuma Geothermal Power Station map 9.5
Fukushima Prefecture Yanatsu-machi Tohoku Electric Power Co. Yanatsu Nishiyama Geothermal Power Station map 65
Tokyo Hachijo-machi Tokyo Electric Power Company Hachijojima geothermal / wind power plant map 3.3
Nagasaki Prefecture Unzen Koyo Denki Obama Onsen binary power station 0.18
Kumamoto Prefecture Oguni machi Hirose Trading Co. Yake no yu power station map 0.05
Oita Prefecture Beppu Suginoi hotels Suginoi Geothermal Power Station map 1.9
Kokonoe Town Kyushu Electric Power Co., Ltd. Otake power station map 12.5
Kyushu Electric Power Co., Ltd. Hachobaru Power Station map 112
Kyushu Electric Power Co., Ltd. Takigami Power Station map 27.5
Kokonoe Tourist Hotel Kokonoe geothermal power station map 1
Kyushu Mirai Energy Sugawara Binnary Power Station 5
Kagoshima prefecture Ibusuki Kyushu Electric Power Co., Ltd. Yamakawa Power Station map 30
Kirishima-shi Kyushu Electric Power Co., Ltd. Ogun Power Station map 30
YamatoBo Tourism Kirishima International Hotel Geothermal Power Station map 0.2
total 514.88

Those marked with † are private power plants
Geothermal power generation at Hachijojima is planned to increase power generation by three times in FY 2014 and to build pumped power generation , but then changed to utilize storage batteries to stop pumped-storage power generation, and The timing has also been postponed.
In addition, there are the following as those under consideration / under construction.

Tochigi Prefecture (survey): Under investigation of hot spring power generation. The generation cost is expected to be less than 20 yen / kW . It is proportional to the amount of electricity generated, but a large profit is seen at a small purchase price of 42 yen.
Oita prefecture Beppu Onsen (implementation?): Oita Prefecture Beppu City had been supplying hot springs to residential areas for a long time, but the “Seto Inner Energy” carried out the thermal power of the hot springs of 100 degrees or more before this supply, and Kyushu Power sale of 40 – 50 kW is planned from the year 2013 . Equipment is Kobe Steel’s small binary power generation system “MB-70H”. The maximum output per unit is 60 kW.

Yufuin Onsen in Oita Prefecture (under construction)
Fukushima prefecture • Bandai area (under consideration)
Hokkaido • Kamikawa-cho (under consideration)
Hokkaido • Shibetsu-cho Musashidake area (survey): From June 2013, investigation of geothermal power generation project, announcement of petroleum resource development. Scheduled to start generating power at around 15,000 kW around 2023 .
Hokkaido • Okushirijima (plan): Starting operation in 2016, scheduled to compensate 25% of electricity in the island at approximately 500 kW output .

Akita prefecture • Yuzawa city ( Yamanawasawa geothermal power plant (Under construction)): After the deregulation, the first excavation survey in the National • National Parks . On May 25, 2015 , J POWER , Mitsubishi Materials , Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co. , Ltd. jointly started construction . The power generation capacity is 42,000 kilowatts and the project cost is about 30 billion yen .

Source from Wikipedia