Company Helping Revitalize a Local Community after Japan Earthquake through Energy Self-Sufficiency

Copyright Fujino Denryoku

Fujino Denryoku, a Japanese community energy company, is working to revitalize a local community using renewable energy in and around Midori Ward (formerly Fujino Town) in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011, and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The company aspires to make possible a transition from centralized energy supplied by major power companies and move towards self-sufficient distributed energy for local residents, by taking advantage of the town's location and local natural energy sources in this mountainous region.

To do this, Fujino periodically holds workshops on how to assemble a miniature solar power system. Workshop participants are provided with a kit and taught to assemble it over a few hours. When fully charged, the power system supplies up to 300 watts of power, equivalent to the electricity use of about five hours of laptop computer time, six hours' use of and LCD television time, or 15 hours of fluorescent light bulb use.

Through this activity, the company is attempting to create a new, more enjoyable lifestyle for people through energy self-sufficiency and easing the burdens of compulsory energy saving because of energy shortages.

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Posted: 2012/06/09 06:00:15 Am