44 K. HASEGAWA
Tachikawa: From the windiest town to a wind power pioneer, in May
1993, the town of Tachikawa (renamed the Sh¯ onai since 2005), Yamagata Prefecture, installed three town-operated 100 kW wind turbines as
the first municipal wind power project to sell electricity to a commercial
utility. In August 1994, this town hosted the inaugural National Conference for the Promotion of Wind Power. In January 1996, Japan’s first
private power generation business began selling electricity generated by
two 400 kW turbines located in this town. In July 1996, this town initiated the National Association of Municipalities for the Promotion of Wind
Power Generation and hosted the secretariat until 2001 (Hasegawa 2015,
pp. 115–117). In November 2015, the 18th National Conference for the
Promotion of Wind Power was held in Sh¯ onai town. In August 2003,
this town launched the Electricity Saving Town campaign in summer,
aiming to becoming a “100 percent renewable-energy (zero-fossil-fuelconsumption) town.” Especially in 2011, 439 households joined the
program and saved an average of 10.4% in reduced electricity use through
conservation in August and September compared to the previous year.
Kuzumaki: A town of milk, wine, and clean energy, in June 1999
Kuzumaki, Iwate Prefecture, launched Japan’s first commercial wind farm
located on a high-altitude site, at 1000 meters above sea level. It began
operating with three 400 kW wind turbines. The town owns a stake in
this wind farm. Since December 2003, another twelve 1.75 MW wind
turbines have been operating at another wind farm within the town that
is wholly owned by a private company. Total electricity generation from
these two wind farms is equivalent to two times the total amount of Kuzumaki’s electricity consumption. The private company expanded its wind
farm by adding an additional 44.6 MW of capacity in the form of 22
wind turbines, with this additional capacity starting operations in March
2019. Two other projects in this town are under environmental impact
assessment: 72.32 MW of capacity with 32 wind turbines of 2.3 MW and
110. 4 MW projects with 60 turbines. These new projects are commercial wind power company initiatives, but the original trigger was three
turbines started by the town’s initiative in 1999 that demonstrated the
good performance of producing electricity at the high-altitude site, 1000
meters above sea level. This initial project also demonstrated the town’s
support of hosting wind power (Hasegawa 2015, pp. 119–120; J Power
2017).
Tachikawa: From the windiest town to a wind power pioneer, in May
1993, the town of Tachikawa (renamed the Sh¯ onai since 2005), Yamagata Prefecture, installed three town-operated 100 kW wind turbines as
the first municipal wind power project to sell electricity to a commercial
utility. In August 1994, this town hosted the inaugural National Conference for the Promotion of Wind Power. In January 1996, Japan’s first
private power generation business began selling electricity generated by
two 400 kW turbines located in this town. In July 1996, this town initiated the National Association of Municipalities for the Promotion of Wind
Power Generation and hosted the secretariat until 2001 (Hasegawa 2015,
pp. 115–117). In November 2015, the 18th National Conference for the
Promotion of Wind Power was held in Sh¯ onai town. In August 2003,
this town launched the Electricity Saving Town campaign in summer,
aiming to becoming a “100 percent renewable-energy (zero-fossil-fuelconsumption) town.” Especially in 2011, 439 households joined the
program and saved an average of 10.4% in reduced electricity use through
conservation in August and September compared to the previous year.
Kuzumaki: A town of milk, wine, and clean energy, in June 1999
Kuzumaki, Iwate Prefecture, launched Japan’s first commercial wind farm
located on a high-altitude site, at 1000 meters above sea level. It began
operating with three 400 kW wind turbines. The town owns a stake in
this wind farm. Since December 2003, another twelve 1.75 MW wind
turbines have been operating at another wind farm within the town that
is wholly owned by a private company. Total electricity generation from
these two wind farms is equivalent to two times the total amount of Kuzumaki’s electricity consumption. The private company expanded its wind
farm by adding an additional 44.6 MW of capacity in the form of 22
wind turbines, with this additional capacity starting operations in March
2019. Two other projects in this town are under environmental impact
assessment: 72.32 MW of capacity with 32 wind turbines of 2.3 MW and
110. 4 MW projects with 60 turbines. These new projects are commercial wind power company initiatives, but the original trigger was three
turbines started by the town’s initiative in 1999 that demonstrated the
good performance of producing electricity at the high-altitude site, 1000
meters above sea level. This initial project also demonstrated the town’s
support of hosting wind power (Hasegawa 2015, pp. 119–120; J Power
2017).