Power to the people courtesy of hydroelectricity

TOYAMA--Hidenobu Ha-shimoto and his wife, the only residents of a mountainous community here, will soon rely on old-fashioned technology for their energy needs: a water wheel.

They are in the vanguard of an experiment that could transform life in remote rural communities across Japan.

The water wheel powers two generators that have a capacity of 1 kilowatt and 500 watts, respectively, which produce sufficient electricity for a single household.

It means that Hashimoto, 55, can run a van powered by an electric battery. Monthly electric bills, which come to about 30,000 yen, will soon be a thing of the past.

A water wheel 4 meters in diameter is set up beside a mountain stream. The excess electricity generated by wheel is used to charge the van.

Fully charged, it can travel about 70 kilometers.

Sitting behind the wheel, Hashimoto says, "Since water is bountiful here, it would be wonderful if we could become self-sufficient in energy."

Of the five houses in Osawano, only the Hashimotos' is occupied. Everybody else left to live in town, unwilling to make the trip to the nearest supermarket, more than 10 kilometers away. They return only to tend the fields.

This experimental use of low-tech hydroelectric power in Osawano is part of a project jointly undertaken by Toyama University of International Studies, Toyama National College of Technology and private companies promoting wind and hydroelectric power generation.

A 50-million-yen subsidy was made available by the Japan Science and Technology Agency. The project aims to help villages become energy independent.

Hashimoto raises poultry and grows rice and vegetables. He is also a commercial baker, baking bread in an electric oven each day and selling it in town.

He drives about 50 kilometers daily delivering eggs and bread. It cost 3.6 million yen to install a water wheel and the two hydroelectric facilities, but now he won't have to pay an electric bill or buy gasoline.

Hiroyuki Uesaka, professor at Toyama University of International Studies, says a couple of questions remain: "How do we prepare for a possible breakdown of the power generator? How far does the typical farmer travel in a vehicle?" He added: "I would like to identify potential problems so (small-scale hydroelectric) systems can be introduced anywhere in the country."

Hydroelectric power came into focus around 2003, when the Renewables Portfolio Standard law was enacted. The law requires electric companies to purchase a certain amount of natural energy, which includes energy generated by hydroelectric stations with 1,000-kilowatt capacities or smaller.

Municipalities, as well as the central government, are interested in micro-power energy generation. Gunma Prefecture, which has many rivers including the Tonegawa river, announced a detailed plan for use of new energy sources in February. The plan serves as a roadmap for other municipalities and nonprofit organizations that are planning to get into mini and micro-hydroelectric energy generation.

In the prefecture, there are seven such plants with a maximum power generation capacity of 100 kilowatts or less. One of them, a plant with a maximum output of 22 kilowatts, built by the Kiryu city government in 2004, supplies electricity to a camping site.

Nearly half the construction cost, 11.8 million yen, was subsidized by the Forestry Agency and the prefectural government.

A private manufacturer in Shimonita built a hydroelectric plant to power its factory in 2008. The plant has a maximum output of 24 kilowatts. It cost 81 million yen to construct.

The New Energy and Industrial Development Organization provided a subsidy of 22 million yen to defray about a quarter of the cost.

The central government subsidizes private hydroelectric plants up to half the cost of construction.

In addition, the Gunma prefectural government plans to establish a fund to offer subsidies of up to 1 million yen. "We would like to build 10 more plants of similar size over the next five years," a prefectural government official said.

Last November, Yamanashi Prefecture established a support office for the construction of small plants relying on hydro power. The office has received about 30 inquiries from nonprofit organizations and municipalities in the prefecture.

Municipalities are keen to introduce the technology to create more energy independent communities that use less fossil fuels and emit fewer greenhouse gases.

According to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, there are 450 hydroelectric plants in operation nationwide, each with a capacity of 1,000 kilowatts or less. In addition, it says there are 371 locations suitable for such facilities.

Hidefumi Kurasaka, a professor of environmental policies at Chiba University, says Japan should pay more attention to small-scale hydroelectric power generation.

"Japan should not follow European countries and the United States, which rely exclusively on solar energy and wind power as alternative sources of energy. Hydroelectric power could potentially satisfy local electricity demands, if the government steps up support," he said.(IHT/Asahi: July 4,2009)