Solar Panel Surveillance System by Hitachi is Selling Well

Hitachi Advanced Digital started selling on 3rd a surveillance system on PV panels, which is selling well according to Taiyoko Hatsuden EX article.

By collecting generation data of each solar panel, the system can detect breakdown or malfunction of specific panel(s).

Interesting is that this system also utilizes the new technology of telecommunication by electric cable, which was developed by The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

Therefore, there is no need for construction of communication cable, which helps reducing cost.

Taiyoko Hatsuden EX: 2013/06/14
http://news.taiyouko-hatuden.jp/post/15373611232

SMA Started Selling Solar Monitoring System in Japan

SMA in Germany announced in 14th that the company had adapted its solar monitoring system "Sunny Portal" into Japanese and had started selling the service in Japan.

TechOn 2013/06/14 13:07
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/NEWS/20130614/287931/

Trial Manufacture of Solar-Powered Wheelchair in Okayama

An experimental electric wheelchair was completed in Okayama city, Okayama prefecture.
The car is powered by solar panels of 210W at its rear.

The manufacturer Mr. Otsuka, 41, had to emigrate from Fukushima to Okayama after the disaster of the nuclear power plants in 2011.

He said it would be good if his ecological wheelchair is helpful in the aging society of Japan.

Sanyo Shimbun: 2013/6/14 10:40
http://www.sanyo.oni.co.jp/news_s/news/d/2013061410233846/

8 Municipalities Qualified as "Biomass Industry City"

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced yesterday that it had qualified eight cities and municipal areas as the first "Biomass Industry City."

It is under consideration that the qualified cities be subsidized for up to half the cost of facility installation, etc.

The selected cities / area are as follows:
 - Tokachi area (19 municipalities), Hokkaido prefecture
 - Shimokawa town, Hokkaido
 - Betsukai town, Hokkaido
 - Higashi-matsushima city, Miyagi
 - Ushiku city, Ibaraki
 - Niigata city, Niigata
 - Oobu city, Aichi
 - Mitoyo city, Kagawa

Sankei: 2013/06/12 12:23
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/life/news/130612/trd13061212250005-n1.htm
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Press release (in Japanese) 2013/06/12
http://www.maff.go.jp/j/press/shokusan/bioi/130612_1.html

SB Energy and Mitsui to Participate in 48MW Wind Project in Shimane

SB Energy, an affiliate of the telecommunication conglomerate SoftBank, and the trading giant Mitsui will participate in a wind power genaration project in Hamada city of Shimane prefecture.

The project has originally been planned by Green Power Investment of the same SoftBank group.

The three companies will start the construction of 29 wind turbines of 48MW in total, which equals to the annual consumption of 24 thousand households.

Sankei Biz: 2013/06/10 18:35
http://www.sankeibiz.jp/business/news/130610/bsd1306101836005-n1.htm

NYK Trading's 2MW Solar Started Operation in Yakumo, Hokkaido

NYK Trading, a subsidy of the global shipping firm NYK, started operation of its 2MW solar station in Yakumo town of Hokkaid prefecture.

The annual generation will be 1.9 MWh, all of which are to be sold to Hokkaido Electric Power.

LNews: 2013/06/11
http://lnews.jp/2013/06/f061105.html
NYK Trading
http://www.nyk-trading.com/

2.6MW Solar Completed in Yorii, Saitama

The gas distributor Saisan in Saitama city completed on 11th the construction of 2.6MW solar facility in Yorii town, Saitama prefecture.

The station has 16,384 panels on a land of 5.3 hectares. It will start operation from July.

Asahi: Saitama Area: 2013/06/12
http://www.asahi.com/area/saitama/articles/TKY201306110555.html
Saisan Press Release (in Japanese)
http://www.saisan.net/saisan/info/index08.html

Solars at School Insufficient :Board of Audit Pointed Out

The Board of Audit Japan pointed out that solar facilities at school in at least 14 prefectures had been known insufficient as power source in an emergency because of lack of rechargeable battery.

Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) has been promoting to install solar facilities at elementary and junior-high schools since 2009.
It has paid a subsidy up to half the cost of installation.

By April 2011, 4,500 schools throughout the country had solar generators, but even at that time only 25% of them were available as power sources in case of emergency.

Nikkei: 2013/6/11 21:45
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDG1103H_R10C13A6CR8000/

JAPEX to Install 15MW Solar in Tomakomai, Hokkaido

Japan Petroleum Exploration (JAPEX) will start mega-solar business in Tomakomai city of Hokkaido prefecture.

The company takes advantage of surrounding lands of the Yuufutsu Oil and Gas Field which is operated by the company itself.

Two mega-solar facilities (13MW and 1.8MW) of 15MW in total are being planned.

Smart Japan: 2013/06/12 09:00
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/smartjapan/articles/1306/12/news030.html

Daiei Kankyo to Install 2MW Solar in Izumi, Osaka

The industrial waste treatment firm Daiei Kankyo in Izumi city, Osaka, is going to install a mega-solar station in an old site of industrial waste treatment in the same city.

The output capacity will be 2MW. And all the electricity to be generated will be sold to Kansai Electric Power.

Kobe Shimbun: 2013/6/5 23:01
http://www.kobe-np.co.jp/news/keizai/201306/0006052943.shtml

Daiwa House Group to Construct 19.5MW Solar Stations in Miyawaka, Fukuoka

Daiwa House Group, in cooperation with Mitsubishi UFJ Lease, is going to construct three solar stations of 19.5MW capacity in total in Miyawaka city of Fukuoka prefecture.

The project utilizes an old site of coal mining, whose area is about 300 thousand square meters.
Electricity to be generated will be sold to Kyushu Electric Power.
And the stations will be completed by March 2014.

SmartJapan: 2013/06/10 13:00
http://www.itmedia.co.jp/smartjapan/articles/1306/10/news065.html
PR Times: 2013/05/31 11:20
http://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000303.000002296.html

Itochu-Investing Scatec Solar Started Construction of Biggest Solar Station in South Africa

Scatec Solar in Norway, 37.5% invested by Itochu in Tokyo, started the construction of a solar power station in South Africa.

The station of 115MW scale is a part of solar projects in the country. It will install 460 thousand photovoltaic panels in a land of 160 hectares.

The annual generation is estimated to be more than 225 thousand MWh.

Nikkei BP: 2013/06/10
http://business.nikkeibp.co.jp/article/emf/20130610/249435/
Scatec Solar
http://www.scatecsolar.com/index.php

Schneider Electric to Enter Step-Up Transformer Market in Japan

Schneider Electric announced on 10th that it would start selling step-up transformers for high-capacity solar power generation.

The company is targeting mega-watt scale solar facilities. It will produce in Japan a package of PCS, transformer, switchboard, etc.

My Navi News 2013/06/10 15:10
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20130610-00000086-mycomj-sci

Biomass Stove to Grow Round Eggplant in Mid-WInter in Nagano

The mechanical parts manufacturer Shinei in Suzaka city of Nagano prefecture has succeeded in growing Marunasu, or round eggplant, even in mid-winter season by using woody biomass stoves.

In the northern part of Nagano, Oyaki baked snack with round eggplant inside is very popular. However, the vegetable is difficult to grow in cold winter of the region.

It is possible to grow it in plastic greenhouse, but in that case fuel cost for heaters becomes too expensive.

Therefore, Shinei utilized ground lumbers from thinning for heating.
The company is planning to apply this biomass stove to cultivating other vegetables.


Sankei: Chubu Area: 2013.6.9 02:05
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/region/news/130609/ngn13060902050001-n1.htm
Shinei (in Japanese)
http://shinei-suzaka.jp/

Houses with Underground Heat Pump System to be Sold

The construction firm Jow in Matsuyama city, Ehime prefecture, is going to start selling houses which utilize underground heat pump system. The price of the two-storied house (92-116 sq. meters) is 12.6 million JPY.

Nikkei: Shikoku Area: 2013/6/7 0:36
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNZO55926010W3A600C1LA0000/
Jow Corporation (in Japanese)
http://www.jowcorp.jp/

Geothermal Power Station Planned in Okushiri Island, Hokkaido

It was known on 8th that Okushiri town, together with local companies, would embark on geothermal power generation in Okushiri island.

This will be the first case of geothermal plant in remote island in Japan which utilizes the Feed-in-Tariff scheme.

The output will be about 500 kW, which is estimated to cover 25% of the total consumption in the island with 3,000 population.

Kyodo: 2013/06/08 05:17
http://www.47news.jp/CN/201306/CN2013060801001076.html

NTT Facilities' Mega-solar Station Completed in Hokuto, Yamanashi

NTT facilities, a subsidiary of the telecommunication giant NTT, has completed the construction of its "F Hakushu Solar Power Station" in Hokuto city of Yamanashi prefecture.

The output capacity is 1.6 MW. And this is the 10th megasolar in the prefecture.

Asahi: Yamanashi Area 2013/06/08
http://www.asahi.com/area/yamanashi/articles/TKY201306070373.html

Taisei Oncho to Embark on Solar Power Generation

The equipment work firm Taisei Oncho in Tokyo is going to start solar power generation. It has recently founded a new business division on electricity generation and solar power.

The company intends to install at least 2 MW solar facilities in total in one or two years.

Kensetsunews.com 2013/06/10
http://www.kensetsunews.com/?p=14246
Taisei Oncyo (in Japanese)
http://www.taisei-oncho.co.jp/

Nissan to Guarantee EV Leaf's Battery for 5 Years, 100 Thousand KM

Nissan released on 7th that the company would guarantee the capacity of lithium-ion battery used for its Leaf electric vehicles.

The term and condition of the guarantee are five years from purchase and the mileage of up to 100 thousand kilometers.

The guarantee is also applicable to all the Leaf vehecles sold in the past.

Nikkei: 2013/6/7 19:54
http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDD0709N_X00C13A6TJ1000/

Hidaka Village in Kochi to Install 1.5 MW Solar

Hidaka village in Kochi prefecture settled on 8th that it would install a 1.5 MW solar facility in a village-owned land.

The operation start will be in autumn 2014.
And ｔhe total cost is 33 million JPY.

Kochi Shimbun: 2013/06/09 08:03
http://www.kochinews.co.jp/?&nwSrl=303432&nwIW=1&nwVt=knd

100％ Solar-Powered Musical Festival Held in Toyota, Aichi

A musical festival was held this weekend in Toyota city of Aichi prefecture, where all electricity needed was provided by solar power generation.

The festival "Hashinoshita (under the bridge) Music Festival" utilized 704 solar panels installed on the riverside park.
The cost of 90 million JPY was donated by Kei Communication in Kobe.

Asahi: Aichi Area: 2013/06/09
http://www.asahi.com/area/aichi/articles/NGY201306080004.html
Kei Communication
http://www.ieee802.co.jp/index2.html

Solar Panels on Pigpen in Tsugaru, Aomori

The pig farmer Kimura Farm in Tsugaru city, Aomori prefecture, has recently completed a solar facility on the roofs of its two pig houses. The output capacity is 332 kW.

There have been reported several examples of solar on cow sheds in Tochigi and Hokkaido. But Kimura Farm said it might be the first on pig house in Japan.

The company raises 1,300 pigs utilizing food residue. Together with the new solar panels, it intends its products to be recognized as natural and environmentaｌly friendly.

Sankei: 2013/06/08 02:01
http://sankei.jp.msn.com/region/news/130608/aom13060802020000-n1.htm