Resident-led geothermal power project in southwestern Japan seen to enliven local community

March 28, 2016


Resident-led geothermal power project in southwestern Japan seen to enliven local community

The geothermal power generation plant is located deep down at the bottom of a valley in Oguni Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, southwestern Japan. The facility can be found from hot spring inns on a road above the valley. Big columns of steam are seen rising from fume emission pipes, but visitors have to follow a rough mountain pass down to reach the gate to the site.
Waita Geothermal Power Station has a power generation capacity of 2,000 kilowatt-hours, which is equivalent to the consumption of 600 households
The plant, which went on commercial operation in June 2015, was the first megawatt-class geothermal power generation facility launched in Japan in 16 years. The facility also drew attention as a unique, resident-initiated renewable energy project.
The plant is one of the projects supported by the government's feed-in tariff system, which requires power supply businesses to buy electricity produced by renewable energy projects at a fixed price, currently at 40 yen per kilowatt-hour, for a certain period.
The project in Oguni was initiated by a group of 26 people in the Waita hot spring area in 2013. The group, called Waita Association, links up with a Tokyo-based power generation engineering company, which has undertaken the construction of the plant and is in charge of operation and maintenance.
A few workers and engineers are at the site manning the facility, which has a flash steam system turbine. "We supply the electricity produced here entirely to Kyuden (Kyushu Electric Power Co.)," said an engineer at the site. "We do so, because we have no facilities like power transmission lines."
Electricity and gas supplies for those at the site are secured, but there is no drinking water available there. "We go to the nearest supply facility for drinking water from time to time," the engineer said.
Because Japan is a volcanic country, there are a lot of potentials for geothermal power generation, but many challenges have to be cleared for actually starting geothermal power generation.
Potential geothermal resources are located in remote, scenic regions in many cases. Geothermal power projects usually meet local people's opposition mainly for fears of damage to the existing hot spring sources and the natural environment.
The Waita plant brings up hot water and associating steam from a stratum beneath the hot spring sources in the region. The plant is situated at an isolated place so that the surrounding landscape will not be affected.
Another problem, or the foremost risk for a geothermal power generation project is that a dug well may not hit a stratum with an enough amount of steam to turn a turbine. Steam was not obtained constantly from a first well dug at the Waita plant site, but a second well, with a depth of 650 meters, successfully brought up an enough amount of steam.
If things go smoothly and if the FIT price is unchanged, the initial costs will be recovered  in five to six years, according to an expert study. Proceeds to be returned to the Waita Association members will be partially secured for future measures to vitalize the local community.
The Waita plant started experimental operation in December 2014 and then underwent many kinds of testing and checks. Those working at the site greeted the start of full operation rather dispassionately on June 17. "We did not have a ceremony or things like that. We now focus on producing electricity in a stable manner," said the engineer, who looked fully aware of local people's hopes pinned on the project.