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Bathing in hot springs hinders Japan’s geothermal potential


Geothermal is a renewable resource that harnesses heat from deep beneath the Earth's crust -- an option that seems appealing to the environment.

Geothermal is a renewable resource that harnesses heat from deep beneath the Earth’s crust — an option that looks appealing to energy-poor Japan.

With more than 100 active volcanoes, Japan has the world’s third-largest geothermal resources, but also has a powerful industry that has staunchly opposed its development: hot springs.

Geothermal is a renewable resource that harnesses heat from deep beneath the Earth’s crust—an option that looks appealing to energy-poor Japan.

But hot waterfall or hot springs scattered throughout Japan is big business, loved by locals and tourists alike, and the industry fears geothermal development could mean water level and temperatures drop at their facilities.

“Honestly, if possible, we would like to promote Geothermal energy Yoshiyasu Sato, vice president of the Japan Onsen Association said.

So the baths at Tsuchiyu Onsen, nestled among the green mountains along a winding river in Fukushima, northeast Japan, are a rarity—they coexist with a geothermal plant. small.

It was the 2011 earthquake and tsunami and nuclear disaster Takayuki Kato, president of Genki Up Tsuchiyu, a local government organization that manages the renewable energy program, says that has caused change in the town.

The town of 300 people was devastated by the earthquake, and residents began to wonder if geothermal energy could help revive their fortunes.

“People here always know that hot springs can be used for other purposes, but they don’t know how to do it,” he explains.

The baths at Tsuchiyu Onsen are hidden among the green mountains along the winding river in Fukushima

The baths at Tsuchiyu Onsen are nestled among the green mountains along the winding river in Fukushima.

Reconstruction funds were used to build the geothermal plant that opened in 2015 on an existing hot spring.

It is located two kilometers (1.2 mi) upstream from the town baths, where naked men and women bathe in separate areas.

He said the plant “does not change the quality or quantity of water” for the town’s hot springs.

The onsen industry is ‘terrible’

Electricity sales from the plant now fund free local buses for children and the elderly, and allow the town to renovate abandoned buildings and support local artisans.

And the additional hot water from the factory has created a new tourist attraction—a small colony of giant freshwater prawns that people can catch and grill.

For proponents of geothermal development, it’s a small but promising sign of what could be replicated across Japan if there’s enough will.

Currently, the country produces only 0.3% of its electricity from geothermal, but the potential is huge.

Giant river shrimp need constant hot water, provided by the nearby geothermal power plant in Tsuchiyu Onsen

Giant river shrimp require constant hot water, provided by a nearby geothermal power plant in Tsuchiyu Onsen.

Japan’s energy reserves are estimated at 23 gigawatts, equivalent to about 20 nuclear reactors and second only to the United States and Indonesia, according to the National Energy and Resources Agency.

Its potential is even more attractive given the country’s dependence on imported fuel, especially after the 2011 nuclear disaster forced nuclear reactors to shut down.

Before the pandemic, about 2,500 people visited Tsuchiyu’s factory each year, including some in the onsen industry attracted by its success.

But few can imitate the project, and the Japanese government has a modest target of just 1% of electricity from geothermal by 2030.

Kasumi Yasukawa, from the geothermal division of government energy security agency JOGMEC, said hot spring owners sometimes “refuse to even discuss” the possibility of a geothermal project in the area. their area.

In addition to opposition from the “robust” onsen industry, the high initial cost and lengthy administrative hurdles also deter those interested in building one. geothermal plantshe speaks.

‘We want it to stop’

The government has lifted some restrictions in recent years, allowing authorities to research options in national parks where 80% of geothermal resources are found.

The geothermal power plant in Tsuchiyu Onsen opened in 2015 on an existing hot spring

The geothermal power plant in Tsuchiyu Onsen opened in 2015 on an existing hot spring.

However, onsen owners staunchly object, saying the water is fragile and prone to overexploitation.

The onsen association’s Sato argues that geothermal shouldn’t even be considered renewable, pointing out old Japanese factories have seen production capacity dwindle over time.

JOGMEC’s ​​Yasukawa argues that the developers overestimated the potential at these sites, in part due to a lack of scientific knowledge at the time.

“It seems that the fear of hot spring owners is based solely on rumours,” she said, explaining that geothermal projects excavate deep rock or sediment containing groundwater.

“There is no interference for hot spring wells, which use water from reservoirs closer to the surface,” she said.

JOGMEC hopes projects like the Tsuchiyu Onsen factory can change its mind, but there is little sign that the hot spring industry will change its mind any time soon.

“If geothermal proponents “have new scientific drilling methods that can allay our fears, that would be great,” says Sato. But they don’t do that.”

© 2023 AFP

quote: Hot spring baths block Japan’s geothermal potential (2023, March 14) retrieved March 14, 2023 from https://techxplore.com/news/2023-03-hot-block-japan -geothermal-potential.html

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