Solar Revolution in Fukushima — Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA
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Since the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster in 2011, Fukushima has been stepping up its renewable energy efforts, including solar energy installations, with an aim to become “a frontrunner in renewable energy.” According to statistics between 2011 and 2021 compiled by Fukushima Prefecture, Fukushima’s solar energy installation had increased for ten consecutive years since 2011, with 2,661MW of solar energy systems newly installed in 2021 compared with 66MW in 2011[1]. Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA, which started its operation in November 2017, is one of the examples. EnerScale visited Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA in Tomioka Town, Futaba County, Fukushima Prefecture, in February 2023.
Tomioka Town
Tomioka is a town along the Pacific coast located in the Hamadori district in Fukushima Prefecture. The town was heavily affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster in 2011, with an earthquake measuring an upper 6 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7, followed by a devastating tsunami, reaching maximum heights of 21.1m in Hotokehama, Kegaya, Kobama and around Tomioka station[2]. The whole of Tomioka is situated within a 20km radius of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and about half of the town lies within a 10km radius. An evacuation order was issued for a 10km radius zone and a 20km radius zone on March 12, 2011, at 5:32am and 6:25pm, respectively, forcing Tomioka residents to evacuate[3]. Furthermore, on April 22, 2011, a 20km radius zone was designated as a “Warning Zone (keikai kuiki),” banning entry into the zone in principle[4]. In March 2013, Tomioka’s warning zone designation was lifted, and the town was instead divided into three blocks: Difficult-to-Return Zone (12% of the area), Restricted Residence Zone (50% of the area), and Evacuation Order Cancelation Preparation Zone (38% of the area). In April 2017, evacuation orders were lifted in Tomioka, except for the Difficult-to-Return Zone[3]. In March 2020, an evacuation order was lifted for the area around Yonomori station, a part of the “Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Base Areas” within the Difficult-to-Return Zone (12% of Tomioka Town), and in April 2023, an evacuation order was lifted for the “Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Base Areas”, covering the Yonomori district and part of the Osuge district which account for 46% of Tomioka Town’s Difficult-to-Return Zone[5][6][7].
Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA
The Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA, located on approximately 40 hectares of land in the Kamiteoka district of Tomioka town, started its operation on November 20, 2017. The area used to be fertile rice farmland, but following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster in 2011, an evacuation order was issued — it took six years to treat the contaminated soil. Even after the soil treatment, various issues remained unsolved, including establishing a base for living and securing a labor force. Due to these complex issues, the farmland was put to an alternative use instead of immediately restarting agricultural activities [8]. Equipped with 110,880 solar PV modules (Kyocera polycrystalline 270W), the installed capacity of the solar plant is 29.938MW (based on PV modules) and the grid-connected capacity is 19.8MW. The plant is expected to generate approximately 33,000MWh per year, which amounts to the electricity needed by about 9,100 general households[9][10][11]. Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA is operated by Tomioka Revitalization Energy Limited Liability Company, a Special Purpose Company (SPC) incorporated with funding from Tomioka Town, Fukushima Electric Power, and JR-EAST Energy Development. The electricity generated is sold to Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) based on a feed-in tariff (FIT) system[8][9][10][11].
As the name suggests, the revitalization of Tomioka is at the core of Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA. For example, the land has been leased from 65 individual local landowners, consisting of ex-residents forced to evacuate from the town after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Accident and their relatives[8]. In addition, Tomioka Revitalization Energy has an alliance with the “Fukushima Prefecture Renewable Energy Industry Promotion Council” which comprises stakeholders such as the national government, Fukushima Prefecture, 12 surrounding municipalities, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), and Tohoku Electric Power Company and a part of the proceeds from the sale of electricity is returned to the community to revitalize Tomioka Town, including its agriculture sector[12]. The company further works in partnership with “Tomioka Plus,” a private organization working on community development in Tomioka Town, through which a part of the proceeds from the electricity sale is utilized for Tomioka’s revitalization programs[11].
Table 1: Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA[9][10][11]
| Location | Shimosenri and Oishihara, Kamiteoka, Tomioka Town, Futaba County, Fukushima Prefecture |
| Area | Approx. 40 hectares |
| No. of solar PV modules | 110,880 (Kyocera polycrystalline 270W) |
| Installed capacity | 29,938kW (based on PV modules) |
| Grid-connected capacity | 19,800kW (PCS: 660kW x 30) |
| Expected annual energy production | Approx. 33,000MWh per year (the electricity needed by about 9,100 general households) |
| Operation start date | November 20, 2017 |
| Solar power producer | Tomioka Revitalization Energy Limited Liability Company *a Special Purpose Company (SPC) incorporated with funding from Fukushima Electric Power, Tomioka Town and JR-EAST Energy Development |
Twelve years on from the triple disaster in 2011, recovery efforts are underway in Fukushima, with an emphasis on renewable energy. Community-based solar projects like the Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA play a vital role in Fukushima’s revitalization. As the prefecture installs more solar projects, Fukushima will likely become one of the major markets in Japan for the solar reuse and recycling industry. Check out more of our articles to learn about PV waste regulations and various initiatives taken to address PV waste in Japan.
References
[1] Fukushima Prefecture, “Fiscal Year Reiwa 3 (2021) Renewable energy installations in Fukushima Prefecture [Reiwa 3 (2021) nendo Fukushima kennai ni okeru saiseikanou enerugi-dounyujisseki].” https://www.pref.fukushima.lg.jp/uploaded/attachment/530927.pdf (accessed Mar. 15, 2023).
[2] Tomioka Town, “Tomioka-machi Memory and Record of the ‘Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Disaster’ (Updated July 1, 2015) [Tomioka-machi ‘Higashi nihon daishinsai, genshiryoku saigai’ no kioku to kiroku (Heisei 27 nen 7 gatsu 1 nichi koushin)].” Accessed: Mar. 15, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.tomioka-town.jp/soshiki/kikaku/kochokoho/koho/2111.html
[3] Tomioka Town, “Recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Accident and the current situation in the town [Higashinihon daishinsai, genpatsu jiko kara no fukkou jyoukyou to machi no genjyou].” Accessed: Mar. 18, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.tomioka-town.jp/material/files/group/3/fukkoujoukyou_20210527.pdf
[4] Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry, “Designation of the warning zone and the general principle of the temporal entry [Keikaikuiki no settei to ichijitachiiri no kihonteki kangaekata].” https://www.meti.go.jp/earthquake/nuclear/shiji_1f_html.html (accessed Mar. 19, 2023).
[5] Tomioka Town, “April 1, Reiwa 5, 9am Evacuation Order Lifted for the Specified Reconstruction and Revitalization Base Areas [Reiwa 5 nen 4 gatsu 1 nichi gozen 9 ji tokutei fukkou saisei kyoten kuiki wo hinanshiji kaijyo].” https://www.tomioka-town.jp/soshiki/kikaku/kikakuseisaku/oshirase/4891.html (accessed Mar. 20, 2023).
[6] Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry, “Regarding lifting of evacuation order for Namie-machi and Tomioka-machi [Namie-machi, Tomioka-machi ni okeru hinanshiji no kaijyo ni tsuite]”, Accessed: Mar. 20, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.meti.go.jp/earthquake/nuclear/kinkyu/hinanshiji/2022/20230320namiemachi_tomioka_hinanshijikaijo.html
[7] NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), “Fukushima Tomioka-machi lifting of evacuation order for the “Specified reconstruction and revitalization base areas “ [Fukushima Tomioka-machi ‘Tokutei fukkou saisei kyoten kuiki’ no hinanshiji kaijyo]”, Accessed: Apr. 02, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20230401/k10014025901000.html
[8] Fukushima Electric Power and Tomioka Revitalization Energy Limited Liability Company, Private communication, May. 2023.
[9] Fukushima Electric Power, “Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA Overview [Tomioka Fukkou Sora-, SAKURA shisetsu gaiyou],” Information board at Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA (Visit date: February 16, 2023).
[10] Fukushima Electric Power, “A completion ceremony of the ‘Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA’ was held [“Tomioka fukkou mega so-ra-, Sakura” shunkoushiki ga toriokonawaremashita].” https://fukushima-power.com/topics/1726/ (accessed Mar. 16, 2023).
[11] JR-EAST Energy Development Co. Ltd., “Fukushima Prefecture Tomioka Revitalization Mega Solar Power Plant SAKURA [Fukushima-ken Tomioka fukkou mega so-ra-, Sakura].” http://www.jr-energy.jregroup.ne.jp/challenging/tomioka/index.html (accessed Apr. 14, 2023).
[12] Research Institute for Environmental Finance, “Mega solar ‘SAKURA’ blooms in Fukushima’s Tomioka Town, a town under an evacuation order. 30MW capacity. Expected to start operation next December. [Fukushima no ‘Zencho hinan’ no Tomioka-machi de mega sora- ‘SAKURA’ saku. Shutsuryoku 30MW. Rainen 12 gatsu ni kadou yotei (RIEF)].” https://rief-jp.org/ct4/63346 (accessed Mar. 20, 2023).
Author: Saki Kobayashi / 小林 さき