Winners of Northern Districts' Energy Conservation and New Energy Award 2012 Selected

The Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry selected the winners of the Energy Conservation and New Energy Award in Northern Districts, and held an award ceremony in December 2012. Twelve groups won awards in four categories: awareness raising and promotion; effective utilization; electricity conservation; and development and production.

In the category of awareness raising and promotion, Hokkaido Iwamizawa Agricultural High School won the award for agricultural technology development research utilizing renewable energies, such as cooling energy using snow and geothermal heat, and their involvement in regional activities. The school scored highly because it has studied geothermal heat-based technologies in collaboration with local companies, and has promoted new energy sources by showcasing its efforts.

In the category of effective utilization, the award was given to five groups, including Nihon Asparagus K.K., a Japanese soft-drink vendor. Nihon Asparagus K.K. has worked to collect waste heat during the sterilization process at its plant, and won the prize for its efforts of waste heat collection and fuel conversion to natural gas.