Fukushima’s waste agricultural land to become huge renewable energy hub

Source: Nikkei Asian Review

In Fukushima, at the site of the nuclear reactor meltdown in 2011, the local Prefecture plan to convert the resulting unusable agricultural land into a massive renewable energy hub. The project is to have 11 solar farms and 10 wind farms over the large area which will produce 600MW of electricity for metropolitan Tokyo as the nuclear plant similarly did previously.

The project has the backing of the Japanese federal government. Work was due to commenced this January and is due for completion in 2024. It will help Japan reduce its carbon emissions.

However, Japan has a long way to go in the energy sector as it is hoping to restart many of its nuclear reactors, despite local resistance, and still relies on a lot of coal power so is a large importer of coal. (The Guardian).

Read more: 

- Fukushima to be reborn as $2.7bn wind and solar hub. Nikkei Asian Review, November 10, 2019.

- Fukushima to turn unusable farmland into wind and solar “mega park”. RenewEconomy, November 12, 2019. 

- Fukushima unveils plans to become renewable energy hub. The Guardian, January 5, 2020.