With green energy, Fukushima governor really wants to take prefecture out of nuclear shadow
Ten years after Japan's devastating nuclear meltdown, the governor of Fukushima hopes the prefecture may come out of the shadow of disaster and be symbolic for green energy, although some residents are skeptical.
The March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami ravaged northeast Japan and crippled the Daiichi nuclear plant. It also triggered widespread opposition to nuclear electricity, complicating energy insurance policy for resource-poor Japan.
Helped by about 250 billion yen in government assist, Fukushima is becoming Japan's biggest commercial-level solar powered energy generator and home to one of the world's major green hydrogen plant life, the 10 megawatt (MW) Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field.
"Fukushima needs to achieve 100% renewable vitality, as we won't rely on nuclear strength," Governor Masao Uchibori told Reuters.
The government and main corporations are pushing hydrogen. A Toshiba-designed hydrogen plant opened this past year in Namie, a city evacuated after the meltdown, employing an adjoining 20 megawatt (MW) solar farm to power the process.
A fresh transmission line will finally add 360 MW of wind vitality, putting Fukushima on the right track for 100% renewable strength by 2040, Uchibori said.
"By building Namie the town of hydrogen, you want to support the regional economy and create a fresh symbol," Uchibori said.
Toyota Motor Corp's president visited last week and pledged latest pilot projects. However, many residents say they want support with everyday life, not green energy assignments.
"Namie needs more simple infrastructure such as for example hospitals that happen to be open for 24 hours and health care homes for the elderly," explained one 27-year-old man.
He returned last year, but without his parents because hospitals aren't start along the weekends. He declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the problem.
Uchibori said the neighborhood government really wants to restore infrastructure, develop new assignments and attract residents.
Tokuko Shiga, 73, a good shopworker, said projects weren't providing enough area jobs. Possibly if there have been jobs, various evacuees live somewhere else, she said.
Various green projects are geared towards big companies and supplying Tokyo with power, only as the nuclear plant did, said Yauemon Sato, a Fukushima sake brewer who started a renewable utility company.
His company has generated 6 MW of solar farms and ideas more.
"We need a business model that helps the neighborhood community and promotes autonomy," he said.
Source: japantoday.com
