In the past 24 hours, Eurus Energy Holdings Corp. resumed operations at six wind farms in northern Japan that it had stopped running in the immediate aftermath of what has now been upgraded to a 9.0 magnitude quake.
A joint venture between Tokyo Electric Power Co. and Toyota Tsusho Corp., the firm said it brought the wind farms back on line at the request of the local utility, Tohoku Electric Power Co.
The wind farms – four located in Aomori Prefecture and two in Akita Prefecture – have a combined output of 112,900 KW, or enough to supply power to about 68,000 homes.
“We are now entering the third night since the earthquake occurred,” said Prime Minister Naoto Kan in a statement released earlier today. “I offer my heartfelt condolences to the victims of this disaster. I would also like to express my thanks and sincere respect to you, my fellow citizens, especially those in the disaster-hit areas, who have acted calmly despite extremely trying circumstances.”
He said a large number of electrical generating stations have sustained damage, including the nuclear power plants in Fukushima, and the supply of electricity is in an especially severe situation in the areas serviced by Tokyo Electric Power Company and Tohoku Electric Power Company.
Kan continued: “The national government is providing direction for the greatest possible efforts to be made, such as resourcing electricity to these two electric companies from other companies. We are also urging industries and households to conserve energy.”
“However,” he continued, “ as the restoration of services cannot be foreseen in the immediate future, there is the possibility of a situation developing in which a sufficient supply of electricity cannot be ensured through these measures alone, with entire regions suffering large-scale blackouts if the situation continues as is.
“As sudden large-scale blackouts would impart an immense blow to people’s daily lives and to economic activity, we must avoid this situation at all costs,” Kan added.
Although the number of wind farms has been growing dramatically across Japan in recent years, projections released in 2008 predicted that wind power would provide only about 0.2 percent of the nation’s electricity by this month.
Despite Renewable Energy Magazine’s efforts Sunday and Monday to contact several of Japan’s wind farms, solar plants and renewable energy companies directly, those efforts were stymied by the widespread, earthquake-related break down of the country’s communications infrastructure.
What is clear, however, from even a cursory review of available utility maps, is that several facilities, including the Hamanaka-cho wind power facility and the Hanasaki Wind power project were clearly in the region most impacted by both the earthquake and tsunami. Also on the north island -- which incidentally has also been the scene of repeated emergencies throughout the weekend at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power station – is the Ororon wind farm on the island’s west coast.
The offshore waters of the hard-hit region are also home to the seven-year-old Hokkaido wind farm, which was the first offshore wind farm installed outside of Europe. In fact, Japan’s National Tourism Organization describes the entire Hokkaido region as home to the largest number of wind-generated power plants in the entire country.
In all, there are currently more than 1,300 land-based wind turbines in Japan, run by regional governments and such companies as the aforementioned Eurus Energy Holdings, Electric Power Development, Japan Wind Development CO., Eco-Power, and the Clean Energy Factory.
According to the Global Wind Energy Council, Japan ranked 18th in 2010,in terms of new wind power installations , creating 221,000 KW of renewable energy capacity.
In addition, Japan is also home to several large industrial manufacturers that have been impacted by the widespread power outages and shortages gripping the entire island nation, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. Hitachi Ltd., and Mitsui and Company Ltd.
Many of these company’s employees are without power, are running short of food and just as critically, running out of diesel fuel to get back and forth to work, according to published reports. Major utilities like Tokyo Electric Power Co. have also been relying on rolling blackouts lasting as long as two hours at a time in order to sustain the power supply to the capital.
Because train operations in and around Tokyo are directly linked to the power supply, the rolling blackouts, which could last into April, are further disrupting transportation.
The immediate impact of the earthquake of solar facilities is also largely unknown at this point.
But some manufacturers in the sector have already stepped into the breach to aid their suffering countrymen and women.
For instance, Kyocera Corporation, a manufacturer of multicrystalline silicon solar cells, has announced that it will donate $1.22 million for relief aid and reconstruction efforts in northeastern Japan.
A message on the company’s web site offered condolences to people affected by the disaster, and said that Kyocera Group and its group companies both inside and outside of Japan have begun to set up fundraising efforts to gather additional donations.
Mitsubishi Electric Corp. has donated $4.8 million to aid and support earthquake victims, and has announced that it will coordinate a matching gift program through which the company ill match contributions to donations made by employees worldwide.
Honda, which serves the solar market through its Honda Soltec subsidiary, said Monday that it had closed several of its factories, with production activities in the worst effected areas likely to remain suspended through 20 March 2011.
The company has donated $3.6 million to relief efforts and has also donated 1,000 gasoline-powered and home-use gas canister-powered for distribution to impacted families.
Solar Frontier, a subsidiary of Showa Shell Sekiyu, posted a message on its web site saying that it has accounted for the safety of all of its employees and suffered no loss of company assets as a result of the quake.
Solar Frontier’s manufacturing plants are located in the far south and west of the country and were therefore not scathed by either the earthquake or the tsunami. The company said its supply chain appears to be intact, but said it is reviewing incoming and outgoing logistics as ports around Japan are still recovering from the disaster.
“We are now focused on the ongoing safety of employees and their families, continuing operations normally at each of our facilities, and supporting the relief effort,” the company said.
Continue to watch this space for additional updates.
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