The Tobu Railway Co. of Japan has launched Japan's first enterprise for selling eco-friendly houses, called 'Green Power Homes,' in the vicinity of Tsukinowa Station on the Tobu Tojo Line, a private railroad in eastern Tokyo. 'Green power' as it is used here means electricity generated by renewable energy sources.

As environmental awareness has been growing in Japanese society, Tobu Railway recognized the importance of preserving our environment, and launched this enterprise as a way of reflecting this concept in housing and lifestyles. The company plans to sell about 160 of the homes, starting in or after fiscal year 2004. During the first three years, about one million kWh of green electricity per year, equivalent to the annual power consumption of these homes, will be produced and supplied to the grid.

Tobu Railway has been able to realize this business opportunity by signing a consignment contract with the Japan Natural Energy Company (JNEC) under the Green Power Certification System, a program for contracting power generation using renewable energy. This contract is expected to result in the reduction of about 380 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.

Under this consignment contract, the JNEC will subcontract the Morigasaki Energy Service Co., a power generation company, to generate electricity from methane gas produced at the Morigasaki Water Reclamation Center in Tokyo. The JNEC will issue a Green Power Certificate to Tobu for the amount of electricity stipulated in the contract to certify the indirect use of green electricity in the homes.

http://www.natural-e.co.jp/english/index.html

Posted: 2004/08/26 02:32:33 PM
Japanese version

TAG Eco-product/Business , Energy , Global warming , Non-manufacturing industry , Transportation