Community / Project
※ Company/organization names and affiliations in the article are as of the time of publication
Three years and eight months after conducting our initial field survey in January 2014, the JRE Kochi Kami Solar Power Plant, a 10MW facility, began commercial operation after an unusually long development period.
The plant is in Tosayamada-chō in the city of Kami in eastern Kochi Prefecture, an area that is about 70 percent forested mountains. Although various previous plans had been made in the past 30 years or so to commercially develop the wasteland that became the plant site, nothing was ever realized. Based on that experience, the landowner and local residents doubted that a company based in Tokyo could operate a power plant there. We at JRE were strongly committed to the project as a way to “raise its flag” in Kochi. Working cooperatively with the local community, we earned their trust that we were people who would follow through and bring the project to fruition.
There were many challenges, however. The site is 750 meters above sea level and six kilometers from the connection point with Shikoku Electric Power Co., Inc. It has a 10-degree angle of inclination and is near a river that is a major source of sweetfish. All of these factors presented obstacles to construction.
The most difficult problem was connecting to Shikoku Electric’s power gird. It wasn’t commercially feasible (in terms of both time and money) for Shikoku Electric to install the six kilometers of transmission lines that were needed. Therefore, we studied the possibility of installing the lines ourselves, and invited construction companies to submit proposals for the installation of lines and other requirements. While most of these companies submitted plans that focused on the self-operated transmission tower route (like that of Shikoku Electric) over the mountains, Sanyo Engineering & Construction Inc. proposed a combination of above-ground transmission towers and underground installation. In the end we contracted with Sanyo, which began construction in September 2015 and engaged in frequent consultations with us as they carried out the project.
Although we had anticipated the challenge of working in a mountainous area at an altitude of 750 meters, it still proved extremely difficult. Because the roads were inadequate, we had to bring in some of the construction materials by helicopter. The transmission lines had to a cross class A river as well as national, prefectural, and private roads, traversing a distance of six kilometers. We built a total of four transmission towers with great difficulty. In addition, we installed heavy-duty drainage facilities to ensure that muddy water did not flow into downstream areas.
At the same time, we found ingenious ways to transform some of the challenges we encountered into project strengths. For example, by installing the solar panels at approximately the same pitch as the 10-degree incline of the ground surface, we avoided shadows that would otherwise have been cast because of panel overlap, enabling maximal power generation. Also, the completed plant site was revegetated with low-growing grass that would not impede power generation.
We are deeply grateful to the construction company and local cooperating companies that brought the project to successful and safe completion on schedule, and to local residents who provided such warm encouragement. JRE will operate the facility for the next 20 years or more and will strive to maintain it as an attractive solar power plant that is well-loved by area residents. We thank you all for your continued support.
Ms. Tomoyo Nakamura
JRE Operations Corporation
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Mr. Taisuke Maeda
Chairman
Shigetō District Neighborhood Association Presidents’ Council
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Ms. Tomoyo Nakamura
JRE Operations Corporation
Operations manager
I am in charge of operating the JRE Kochi Kami Solar Power Plant.
When I assumed this role, I strongly sensed the ties we have with the people in the local community.
Compared with the developmental phase, my visits to the plant are necessarily less frequent now that the plant is operating. Nevertheless, I am always delighted and touched by the warm welcome I receive from community members every time we meet.
I believe this rapport can be attributed specifically to the relationship of trust that we built together since the project was first developed.
I believe that JRE can maintain this relationship and that the power plant can continue to grow into its role as a member of the local community. To that end, I will continue to work diligently every day to ensure that the plant coexists harmoniously with the local community over the long term.
Mr. Taisuke Maeda
Chairman
Shigetō District Neighborhood Association Presidents’ Council
Not knowing who would be visiting us, we felt nervous. But when they came, we found ourselves completely satisfied with the way the representatives of JRE and Sanyo Engineering & Construction committed themselves to the welfare of our area. They participate each year in our regional events and clean-up activities while making it clear that they value their interaction with local people. They have also graciously responded to requests for tours of the power plant. Their concern for the local community was evident throughout the construction process, which they completed efficiently and without accident. For this I express both our relief and gratitude. Now that construction is completed, it feels lonely to think that we won’t be seeing such fine people as often as before, but we do hope that they will let us know when opportunities arise for future interaction. We wish them well as they continue their efforts to disseminate the use of renewable energy for power generation.
Mr. Tadashi Yokoya
President
Wazumi Co., Ltd.
Landowner and Construction subcontractor
I had never heard of JRE when I first met Mr. Ibusuki,* but I remember thinking from the start that he was serious about the project. Until then, we had been approached with business proposals from other Tokyo-based companies, but none of them had gone anywhere. I don’t think an ordinary person would plan to put a solar power plant on that site, but I remember thinking that, if anyone could do it, it would be Mr. Ibusuki. Now that the project is completed and the plant is operational, I think it is quite wonderful that JRE was able to mobilize such fine personnel. Ever since the accident at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, attitudes toward energy have changed and people around the world are looking to natural energy sources with higher expectations. I believe this is a golden opportunity for Kochi Prefecture. In the future, Wazumi will be orienting its land holdings toward solar power plant development and handing on that commitment to future generations. We look forward to cooperating with JRE not only in the area of solar power generation, but also in the fields of biomass, small hydro, and wind power generation.
* JRE Managing Executive Officer Tadashi Ibusuki
Mr. Atsuyuki Kitamura
Sanyo Engineering & Construction Inc.
Field representative
JRE Kochi Kami Solar Power Plant Site Office
Our greatest concern when building the power plant was to prevent muddy water from entering the nearby river, which is among the clearest in Japan and a major source of sweetfish. We tested the river for turbidity every day and exercised great care to ensure that our construction activities did not cause any seepage of muddy water. Heavy-duty drainage facilities were installed for the completed plant, and the area was covered with vegetation mats for aesthetic improvement and sediment runoff control. The mats were sprayed with seeds, which had sprouted by the time construction work was fully completed. The vegetation should be in full growth next year, and I think both JRE and the local community will be satisfied with the result.
