※This article was published at March 2015.※
Hot springs will likely give energy to towns as well as relax people’s bodies in the future.
Because there are many volcanoes in Japan, there are many places where geothermal-heated water springs up to create hot springs.
Hot springs are essential for Japanese people, as reflected by the fact that there is the custom of using hot springs for medicinal purposes in order to relax the body in hot spring areas.
However, there has recently been much focus on a use of hot springs other than for relaxation or resorts.
This use is energy.
While geothermal power generation has been studied all over the world, there have also been some unique research initiatives taking advantage of the many hot springs in Japan.
A hot spring power plant is running in Higashiizu Town that seeks for its growth as an eco-resort.
The heat from hot springs is used to boil substances with a low boiling point (such as ammonia) and spin a turbine.
This is a revolutionary technology because it is stable in contrast to other forms of green power generation, and there are no concerns over the impact on the spring source because no holes need to be dug underground as in geothermal power generation.
In addition, temperature difference power generation using the temperature difference between steam and water has been achieved in Atami, a hot spring town that has long been famous for hot-spring treatments.
With this technology, applying a temperature difference to both ends of a substance causes a difference of electrical potential between the ends and creates a flowing current.
This power is used to operate speakers, smartphone charging posts, wireless routers, and LED lighting throughout the city.
In Kawane Town where you can enjoy the scenery of the peaks in the south part of the Southern Alps throughout the four seasons, a power generation system using methane gas that comes out from the Kawane Hot Spring Well is being planned.
This system aims to leverage the characteristics of the land, namely higher levels of methane that is suitable for power generation than other hot springs.
There are plans to commence construction as early as 2016 and to start power generation in 2017 for supply to commercial facilities in the hot spring village.
Japan could become one of the world’s leading energy countries if the characteristics of the land are utilized well.
Information
Higashiizu Town
Kawane Town
Hot springs will likely give energy to towns as well as relax people’s bodies in the future.
Because there are many volcanoes in Japan, there are many places where geothermal-heated water springs up to create hot springs.
Hot springs are essential for Japanese people, as reflected by the fact that there is the custom of using hot springs for medicinal purposes in order to relax the body in hot spring areas.
However, there has recently been much focus on a use of hot springs other than for relaxation or resorts.
This use is energy.
While geothermal power generation has been studied all over the world, there have also been some unique research initiatives taking advantage of the many hot springs in Japan.
A hot spring power plant is running in Higashiizu Town that seeks for its growth as an eco-resort.
The heat from hot springs is used to boil substances with a low boiling point (such as ammonia) and spin a turbine.
This is a revolutionary technology because it is stable in contrast to other forms of green power generation, and there are no concerns over the impact on the spring source because no holes need to be dug underground as in geothermal power generation.
In addition, temperature difference power generation using the temperature difference between steam and water has been achieved in Atami, a hot spring town that has long been famous for hot-spring treatments.
With this technology, applying a temperature difference to both ends of a substance causes a difference of electrical potential between the ends and creates a flowing current.
This power is used to operate speakers, smartphone charging posts, wireless routers, and LED lighting throughout the city.
In Kawane Town where you can enjoy the scenery of the peaks in the south part of the Southern Alps throughout the four seasons, a power generation system using methane gas that comes out from the Kawane Hot Spring Well is being planned.
This system aims to leverage the characteristics of the land, namely higher levels of methane that is suitable for power generation than other hot springs.
There are plans to commence construction as early as 2016 and to start power generation in 2017 for supply to commercial facilities in the hot spring village.
Japan could become one of the world’s leading energy countries if the characteristics of the land are utilized well.
Information
Higashiizu Town
Atami City
Kawane Town
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