Japan's First Green Snow/Ice Energy Certificate Issued to Five Facilities in Hokkaido

The Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI Hokkaido) announced in March 2011 that it has issued its first green snow/ice energy certificates to five facilities in Hokkaido for their use of snow/ice energy. Wintertime snow and ice energy is utilized to cool agricultural products and for residential air-conditioning in summer.

METI Hokkaido started issuing green snow/ice energy certificate in January 2011. The facilities calculate the amount of cryogenic energy produced, and they receive a certificate for that amount. Other enterprises then purchase the value of the certified green energy, which covers the maintenance costs of facilities and equipment utilizing snow/ice energy.

To date, 140 facilities in Japan, mostly located in northern Japan and areas along the Sea of Japan, are promoting the use of snow/ice energy. The five recipients of the certificates are; four facilities in Numata Town, Hokkaido, including a lifelong learning center and a strawberry hothouse at an on-the-job training farm; and an ice house equipped with a precooler in Biratori Town, Hokkaido.

According to a questionnaire targeting public-listed companies all over Japan, 48.7 percent of the enterprises indicated that they are interested in green snow/ice energy certificates. METI Hokkaido held a seminar on snow/ice energy in Tokyo in March, with the aim to promote further use of the energy.

'Green Heat' Certificate System Being Developed in Hokkaido (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/028645.html
METI Hokkaido Promoting Use of Alternative Energy Sources for Air Conditioning (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/027182.html

Posted: 2011/06/16 06:00:15 AM