Micro-Hydropower Promotion Council Established

Japanese Association for Water Energy Recovery (J-WatER) held its inaugural meeting and a symposium on July 16, 2005. Micro-hydropower systems aim to utilize unused energy such as the difference in height between levels of water conduits, known as the head drop, in agricultural water supply and sewage treatment plants. Compared with larger hydropower plants, they have the advantages of easy preliminary surveys, and simple installation in most cases.

Decades ago in Japan, there were many micro-hydropower systems ranging from waterwheels in streams to small hydropower stations, which generated from a dozen to hundreds of kilowatts of electricity. They used to play an important role as an energy supplier in people's lives and in industry. Even today, there are thousands of possible locations available for micro-hydropower use: natural rivers, irrigation systems, mountain streams, water supply systems, sewage systems, and surplus water pressure created at factories. Total potential power generation from such sites is estimated to reach millions of kilowatts.

Aiming to promote micro-hydropower use, the association plans to raise people's awareness and interest, support technological development and remove obstacles for implementation, while making policy recommendations, easing regulations, and helping concerned parties exchange information and ideas for establishing mutual cooperation. The association also hopes that expanded micro-hydropower use will accelerate further technological improvement, standardization, mass production and advances in cost efficiency.



Posted: 2005/09/21 01:05:41 PM
Japanese version