Biogas from "Shochu" Liquor Lees

A unique technology is being pursued by Energia Economic and Technical Research Institute of Chugoku Electric Power in Hiroshima prefecture.

Firstly the institute makes supercritical water under high temperature and pressure. Then the water is made to react to lees from Japanese liquor Shochu in order to resolve the lees into combustible gases like methane, CO2, and inorganic solid. The gases are taken out from them and will be used as fuel.

As compared to popular methane fermentation, it takes less time. And no lees remain after the process.

Source:
Denki Shinbun: 2013/04/12
http://www.shimbun.denki.or.jp/news/energy/20130412_02.html

Washtub-Shaped Pico Hydro Test in Nagano

A field test of a washtub-shaped micro hydro turbine has started in Chino city of Nagano prefecture.

With a water flow of 50 liters per second, it can generate electricity of about 100 W.

A whirlpool of water in the washtub rotates the turbine blades. With the video clip by NHK (below) it is easier to understand.

The test will last for three months.

NHK 2013/04/12 6:30
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20130412/k10013859711000.html

LENS
http://www.lens.co.jp/en
Kawabata Tekko
http://www.kanayago.co.jp/

Suspicious Calls of Solar Questionnaire Reported in Yamanashi

Yamanashi prefectural government announced on 12th that at least 11 suspicious calls had been reported in Tsuru city and Fuefuki city from 8th to 12th.

In one case, an automated voice asked the responding woman (1) whether she knows it is possible to install a solar facility without any expense, (2) her sexuality, and (3) whether she has an interest to install solar.

On the next day she replied to the questionnaire, there was another call in which the caller said it was from the prefectural office.

Yamanashi prefecture negated any calls from the governmental body on the subject  and called for attention instead :)

Mainichi: Yamanashi Area 2013/04/13
http://mainichi.jp/area/yamanashi/news/20130413ddlk19040089000c.html

(Solar Panels on Tokyo Station)

(from the webmaster)

Yesterday I had to kill some time in Tokyo, so I went to see the newly opened shopping complex "Kitte" near Tokyo Station. There I found a long and huge solar PVs on the roof of Tokyo Station.

The complex's name Kitte is named after postal stamp.
The building is  a reconstruction of the Central Postal Office in Tokyo. 

From the belvedere garden of Kitte.
The area between two red lines is PVs.

I personally didn't know this till yesterday, but it was constructed in Feb 2011.

The output is 453 kW and the annual generation 340 MWh, which equals to 0.3 percent of the total consumption of the station.

JR East Press Release 2011/02/25

http://www.jreast.co.jp/press/2010/20110221.pdf

Old Apartment to be Experimental Solar Hotel

A vacant apartment house of Ino housing complex in Toride city of Ibaraki prefecture will become a hotel on 13th.

It is an experimental art project called "Sun Self Hotel."

The house with three rooms and a dining room-kitchen will be used as a hotel. But it has no electricity nor city gas.

During the daytime the guest has to make electricity for room lights, using a portable solar system provided by the hotel.

The local residents made up a team for the project, together with the city municipality, Tokyo University of the Arts and others. They welcome the guest with several art events and a guidance tour in the complex.

The project aims to make changes in the old housing complex constructed in 1969 where the population is aging.

Tokyo Shinbun 2013/04/13
http://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/ibaraki/20130413/CK2013041302000176.html

Formerly Unused Discharge Water for Electricity in Hiroshima

The Chugoku Electric Power started operation of a new mini hydro power generator, taking advantage of formerly unused water power of "discharge for river system maintenance" in Kannose Hydro Power Plant.

Kannnose Plant in the northern mountain area of Hiroshima prefecture has been operating for more than 60 years and has the output of 20 MW.

Right under the dam of Kannose is newly installed "Takano Power Plant."

The penstock is 49 meter high and the maximum output is 140 kW.
The annual generation is estimated to be one million kWh, which equals to 300 housholds' consumption.

Source:
Smart Japan: 2013/04/12 07:00
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/smartjapan/articles/1304/12/news018.html
The Chugoku Electric Power: Press Release (in Japanese) 2013/04/10
http://www.energia.co.jp/press/13/p130410-1.html

Solar on Logistics Buildings by Prologis in Operation

The distribution real-estate company Prologis announced yesterday that it had started operation of solar power on the roof of eight logistics buildings on April 1st.

The total output at the moment is 10 MW. The annual production is estimated to be more than 10 milliion kWh.
The company is expanding the plan to 25 MW in 23 facilities in Japan.

LNEWS 2013/04/11
http://lnews.jp/2013/04/f041112.html
Prologis News Release (in Japanese): 2013/04/11
http://www.prologis.co.jp/new/distribution/130411.html

Shimizu to Invest 3.5 Billion in Solar

The building constructor Shimizu Corporation will utilize its idle land in Akou city of Hyogo prefecture and install solar power plant of total output of 10 MW.

The generated electricity will be sold to Kansai Electric Power. Shimizu estimates an income of more than 400 million JPY a year.

Nikkei 2013/4/12 0:17
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD110JQ_R10C13A4TJ2000/

Apollo Gas in Fukushima to Sell Electricity by Solar

Apollo Gas in Fukushima city, Fukushima prefecture, will start in May an enterprise of selling electricity by solar power.

The company will take lease of the roof or other available space of residences and offices. It pays for facilities and construction and sells the generated electricity to Tohoku Electric Power. Then 5 to 15 percent of the revenue will be paid as rent.

Apollo Gas presumes the first 30 sites for its trial of this time. Those who want to utilize the scheme must consent to a lease contract for at least 20 years. The application deadline is the end of May.

The company president said it aims to expand this scheme to whole Japan, as a model of energy system not depending on nuclear power.

Fukushima Minpou 2013/04/11 12:26
http://www.minpo.jp/news/detail/201304117793

New Mobile Solar Battery by Green Agent

Green Agent announced its new product of portable battery "mobile solar 2500." The battery (2500 mAh) is re-chargeable by its small solar panel of 0.5 W. And it is good for charging mobile phones and portable game machines.

The price is 2,980 JPY (about 30 USD).

ASCII.jp: 2013/04/11 16:21
http://ascii.jp/elem/000/000/779/779290/

Bridgestone Subsidiary to Start Selling Solar Electricity

Bridgestone Plant Engineering, which is a subsidiary of the tire manufacturer Bridgestone, will start selling electricity by solar power.

The company is going to install solar panels on the roofs of tire factories in Hikone city of Shiga prefecture and in Saga city of Saga prefecture. The total output will amount to 3,500 MWh per year, which equals to about 970 households' annual consumption.

The investment will be one billion Japanese yen. The company is planning to commence commercial operation within the year 2013.

Source:
Response 2013/04/11 18:08
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20130411-00000048-rps-bus_all

First Micro Hydro Generator in Kanagawa

Kanagawa prefecture launched last month a field test facility of micro hydro electric power generation.

The generator was installed in a flood-control canal of the irrigation water "Bunmei Yousui" in Kaisei town.

The maxmum output is 10 kW.　The municipality estimates an annual generation of 35,000 kWh, which equals to consumption of about 10 households.

And CO2 emission reduction will be 30 ton per year.

The facility is the first case of micro hydro in the prefecture and is done under the "Kanagawa Smart Energy Project."

Source:
Tokyo Shinbun: Kanagawa: 2013/04/10
http://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/kanagawa/20130410/CK2013041002000132.html
Press release from Kanagawa prefecture:
http://www.pref.kanagawa.jp/uploaded/attachment/554120.pdf
Ashigara Net 2013/3/25
http://ashigaranet.com/

(A Mutter from the Webmaster)

Oh! I've just found the website below:

http://renewableenergyinjapan.blogspot.jp/

Great website... Let me call him my guru!
What to add from me?

But I shall continue what I can do on a daily basis :)

Solar on the Roof to Keep Truck Cabin Cool

The manufacturer of transport equipment Nippon Fruehauf started selling "iCool Solar," a car-battery assisting system using solar panels on the rooftop of a truck.

The new product consists of the solar module system "The Solar" by Mitsubishi Chemical and the driving-cab air conditioner  "i-Cool"by ICL.

While stopping for loading and unloading as well as for a rest, on a hot mid-summer day for example, the truck driver can stop engine for a longer time. That will contribute to reduce CO2 emission, the company says.

Source:
LNEWS　2013/04/10
http://lnews.jp/2013/04/f041011.html

JX Nippon Negotiating with First Solar

JX Nippon Oil & Energy started negotiation with First Solar of Arizona, US,  over their business partnership in Japan.

First Solar is planning to sell in the country high-efficiency crystalline silicon PVs of TetraSun of California.

JX Nippon Oil & Energy has been the largest stakeholder of TetraSun. This time it allowed First Solar to obtain all shares of TetraSun.

The company says it is aiming to the exclusive selling rights in Japan.

Source:
Zaikei Shinbun 2013/04/10 17:49
http://www.zaikei.co.jp/article/20130410/128973.html
JX Nippon Oil & Energy: Press Release
http://www.noe.jx-group.co.jp/newsrelease/2013/20130410_01_0944355.html

Local Opposition Made Solar Developer Give Up in Fujieda

A real estate company in Shizuoka, Shizuoka prefecture, gave up its blueprint of 3,800 solar PVs in Fujieda city, due to strong opposition from local residents.

Locals have opposed the solar facility because it might destroy the scenery and because of glare by the panels.

Mainichi: Shizuoka area, 2013/04/10
http://mainichi.jp/area/shizuoka/news/20130410ddlk22020225000c.html

Kyushu Electric Power and Itochu for 330 MW Geothermal in Indonesia

Kyushu Electric Power and the trading company Itochu, together with PT Medco Power Indonesia and the US company Ormat Technologies, have concluded a contract with Pertamina Geothermal Energy on electric power selling on April 4th.

Pertamina Geothermal Energy is a subsidiary of Indonesian state-owned oil company.

The project will be installed in Sarulla district in the northern part of Sumatra island. It consists of three 110 MW power plants. The companies are expecting to start electricity generation by 2016.

Smart Japan 2013/04/08 11:00
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/smartjapan/articles/1304/08/news023.html
Kyushu Electric Power: Press Release 2013/04/04
http://www.kyuden.co.jp/press_h130404-1.html

Kobe City to Start Solar and Biogas

Kobe city, together with Energy Bank Japan, is going to start electricity generation with megasolar and biogas. Energy Bank Japan is a subsidiary of Osaka Gas.

The company utilizes sludge from the Tarumi Processing Plant of Kobe city to make biogas. It will install 14 small generators (350 kW in total) by biogas.

Also, it will use idle land at the plant for solar PVs (2,000 kW).

Nikkan Kogyo 2013/04/09
http://www.nikkan.co.jp/news/nkx1420130409hlak.html

Motor Company in Chiba Invented a New Micro Hydro

The motor manufacturer Kyowa Kogyo in Funabashi city of Chiba prefecture has recently developed two types of micro hydro generator to fit small streams and water pipes. Both types are of 1-10 kW output.

Taking advantage of its motor manufacturing technology, Kyowa Kogyo invented a new arrangement of magneto coils.

The motor can generate electricity only with 100-250 revolutions per minute. Water flow of 100-600 litres per second is enough. The company is planning to install a field test facility at a sewage treatment site.

Sankei 2013.4.6 21:39
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/region/news/130406/chb13040621400005-n1.htm

Nippon Paper to Introduce First "100% Unused Woodchip" Biomass Power

My goodness, I noticed the official press release in English :)

http://www.nipponpapergroup.com/e/news/news13040801.html


The point is that current Japanese FiT system rules five categories about electricity generation by biomass, and that the FiT price of "unused wood material" is second high (32 JPY/kWh) after
"methane fermented biomass gas"(39 JPY). So, it is lucrative for paper companies.

Smart Japan 2013/04/09 13:00
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/smartjapan/articles/1304/09/news014.html

Japanese Railway Companies to Promote Solar Power

SankeiBiz is reporting railway companies in Japan are recently eager about promoting solar energy.

The article took as examples JR Nishinihon (West), JR Higashinihon (East), Odakyu, Tobu, Tokyo Metro, and Nagoya Tetsudo.

Railway companies generally have idle lands.
Also, they can take advantage of station building roofs - as Tokyo Metro did it last month at Urayasu station on the Touzai line in Tokyo.

Thanks to relatively high FiT price, "we can surely expect our investment profitable," a company said.

If an electricity output is more than 10 kW and is for industrial usage, power companies must buy it at the same price (37.8 JPY/kWh: *FY 2013) for 20 years.


Source:
Sankei Biz 2013/4/8 07:30
http://www.sankeibiz.jp/business/news/130408/bsd1304080731002-n2.htm
Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, FiT prices
http://www.enecho.meti.go.jp/saiene/kaitori/kakaku.html

Off-shore Wind Fieldtest in Kitakyushu

NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) announced last week that it had completed a off-shore wind power fieldtest facility in Kitakyushu city of Fukuoka prefecture.

The facility is the first one on the side of the Japan sea, and the second in whole Japan, after one in Chiba prefecture on the side of the Pacific Ocean.

The facility is 1.4 km off from the shore and has a 2,000 kW off-shore wind turbine (non-floating). Nacelle height: 80 meter from the sea level. Rotor: 83.3 meter. Weight: 4,100t.

NEDO is going to start generating electricity by the end of this June.

Source:
NEDO Press Release 2013/04/03
http://www.nedo.go.jp/news/press/AA5_100185.html
NetIB News 2013/04/08 15:29
http://www.data-max.co.jp/2013/04/08/post_16450_dm1435_2.html

Spring Storm Broke Wind Turbine in Mie

Three wind turbine blades and a generator of one of 19 turbines of the Wind Park Kasatori in Tsu city in Mie prefecture were broken and fell down to the ground. No casualties reported.

It is seemingly because of strong "spring storm" of the previous day. The peak gust in Tsu city was 20.2 meters.
And the broken parts weigh 140 tons in total (!)

Source:
Asahi 2013/4/8/21:05
http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0408/NGY201304080001.html
Mainichi 4/8/13:55
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20130408-00000036-mai-soci

Taiwanese Hon Hai to produce PV panels in Japan

Taiwanese electronics giant Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. is going to produce solar PV panels in Japan, at the earliest in 2014.

Source:
Nikkei 2013/4/8 14:01
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD010MD_Y3A400C1EB2000/?dg=1