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2013 January 16 - 22 TOP3 [ENVIRONMENT]

Fukushima farmers trying to recover using solar power

An agricultural producers’ cooperative corporation in Fukushima is trying to rise up out of negative impacts from the 2011 disaster and the nuclear accident with a small-scale solar power system benefitting the community’s farmers and businesses.

The National Federation of Farmers Movement (Nomin-ren)-affiliated corporation used to have its products supply center located within a 20-kilometer zone from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant before the disaster but was forced to evacuate to the present location of Minamisoma City.

Late last year, the corporation had solar panels installed on the roof of the present center’s warehouse. The solar system generates about 12kW.

Nakai Shinya, who works at the center, said that it will soon add panels to the roof of its office and that 30 member farmers are also planning to have their roofs fitted with solar panels.

The corporation uses a government subsidy to cover one third of costs needed for the installation and uses a part of TEPCO compensation and public loans to cover the rest. Small construction companies in the neighborhood take on the installation, repair, and maintenance work.

Tadano Yasutaka, who owns a large scale rice farm, will have solar panels capable of generating 16kW of power on a roof of his warehouse. He said, “Agricultural machinery have become big and accordingly the warehouse, too. That makes it practical to install solar panels.”

Ando Junji, the owner of a local construction firm, said, “I think this is a good idea to help farmers overcome the damage caused by the nuclear crisis. We, local business owners, can also benefit from this project.”

Looking at the whole nation, however, well-financed large corporations are the main entrants into facilities for generating electricity from renewable sources of energy. Public support to promote an electricity system of “local generation for local consumption” is still insufficient, though it greatly benefits local people, farming and mountain villages as resource providers.