Business Association Research Reveals Tohoku Region has 740,000 Kilowatts of Potential Geothermal Capacity

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The Japan Geothermal Developers' Council, a group of geothermal developers, announced on September 22, 2011, that the six regions and 17 districts of Tohoku's six prefectures are technically capable of generating approximately 740,000 kilowatts of geothermal power.

Regions with a certain volume of existing ground data and underground temperature data were surveyed by district to estimate their potential generation capacity. The estimates were then used to create (1) a map showing areas with viable resources, (2) a chart of potential generation capacities, and (3) a process and cost chart for a 30-megawatt development model.

The estimate excludes special protection areas and first class-special areas inside natural parks and also takes topographic constraints into consideration. The research scope covers areas in and around natural parks (second and third class-special areas only) with a breakdown of approximately 570,000 kilowatts inside natural parks and approximately 170,000 kilowatts outside natural parks.

In Japan, geothermal power is a domestic and renewable source of energy that eliminates the need for fossil fuel import while providing the benefits of stable power all day, every day. Japan has approximately 23.4 million kilowatts of geothermal capacity (theoretical), the third largest in the world after the United States and Indonesia.

The Developer's Council stated that setting a price of approximately 20-24 yen per kilowatt in a feed-in-tariff scheme for renewable energy would make geothermal power generation an affordable, stable, and safe source of electricity for the nation's people. Based on its statement, the Council is asking the government to lead geothermal research and environmental assessments inside special areas of national parks and, ultimately, to shorten lead times for geothermal projects, including the environmental assessment stage.

Current Status and Future Prospects of Geothermal Energy Use in Japan
http://www.japanfs.org/en/mailmagazine/newsletter/pages/029640.html
MOE Reports Japan's Renewable Energy Potential Matches Nuclear Power (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/031147.html
MOE Releases Map of Renewable Energy Potential in Japan (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/031215.html

Posted: 2012/01/02 06:00:15 AM