Energy / Climate Change

May 20, 2004

 

NPO and Citizens Establish Joint Solar Power System

Keywords: NGO / Citizen Policy / Systems Renewable Energy 

The "Sun Den Association," a Japanese non-profit organization aiming to promote photovoltaic power generation, has installed the first citizens' solar power system in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture. The system is on the rooftop of a building known as the Tanpopo Workplace, location of the Hikari Welfare Association, a social welfare organization in the Katayama neighborhood of Hikone. The Sun Den Association hopes to pay part of the construction costs using capital provided by ordinary investors.

Their first joint power generation system has 25 solar panels and a generating capacity of 5 kW, and is expected to supply 5,000 kWh annually. The project will cost about 3.7 million yen (about U.S. $34,600), of which 1.7 million yen (about U.S. $15,900) will be covered by a subsidy provided by Shiga Prefecture, which established a program to support power generation system establishment by non-profit organizations in 2003. The remaining 2 million yen will be provided by ordinary investors, who purchase shares at 50,000 yen (about U.S. $470) each.

According to the Sun Den Association, the electricity generated by the system will be sold to Tanpopo Workplace at below market price, but sales will allow them to return interest of 4 to 5 % on the principal to investors annually for 20 years.

The Sun Den Association was established in February 2003 to promote the effective use of clean, unlimited sunlight. Its individual and corporate members have been promoting photovoltaic power generation by installing solar power systems at their homes and offices.




Posted: 2004/05/20 01:40:53 PM
Japanese version

 

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