Dr. Kasumi Yasukawa National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST). Iceland Geothermal Conference 2013 March 5-8, 2013, Harpa, Reykjavík

1. Geothermal development activities in
Japan after the big earthquake in 2011
Kasumi Yasukawa
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
(AIST)

2. Contents
• Geothermal Power Plants in Japan
• The reasons why there was no new
GPP in Japan
• Recent movement especially after 3.11…
– National Parks
– Hot Springs
– Costs
– New Developments
• Summary
2

3. Yamagawa PP
1995.3-
30MW
Ogiri PP
1996.3-
30MW
Otake PP
1967.8-
12.5MW
Kirishima Kokusai
Hotel PP
1996.3- 0.1MW
Takigami PP
1996.11-
25MW
Suginoi GPP
1981.3-
3MW
Kuju GPP
1998-
0.9MW
付録. 地熱写真集
Geothermal Power Plants in Japan
(Kyushu Area)
In whole Japan, we have 17 geothermal
power plants with 19 units.
Hatchobaru PP
Ⅰ.1977.6-
55MW
Ⅱ.2000. 6-
55MW
Binary 2MW
3

4. Geothermal Power Plants in Japan
(North-Eastern Area)
Mori GPP
1982.11-
25MW
Onuma GPP
1974.6-
9.5MW
Sumikawa GPP
1995.3-
50MW
Matsukawa GPP
1966.10-
23.5MW
Kakkonda GPP
Ⅰ.1978.5-
50MW
Ⅱ.1996. 3-
30MW
Onikobe GPP
1975.3-
12.5MW
Yanaizu-
Nishiyama GPP
1995.5- 65MW
Hachijojima GPP
1995.5-
3.3MW
Uenotai GPP
1994.3-
28.8MW
M9.0
Epicenter
Fukushima Daiichi
Nuclear PP
Sapporo
Sendai
Tokyo
Osaka
Fukuoka
All GPPs affected by the big
earthquake on the 11th March
2011, recorded M9.0, survived!
4

5. Geothermal potential
in Japan
: Temperature of natural springs
(red : high, blue : low)
: geothermal power plant
: Quaternary volcanoes
Geothermal potential map
of Japan (GSJ, 2009)
The number of active volcanoes and
geothermal energy potential has a
linear relation.
Muraoka et al. (2008) estimated that
Japan has geothermal potential of
23,470 MWe.
5

6. Japan is the world’s 3rd largest geothermal potential country,
Country
No. of active
volcanoes
Geothermal
potential (MWe)
Geothermal Power
generation on 2010
(GWeh)
USA 160 30,000 16,603
Indonesia 146 27,790 9,600
Japan 119 23,470 3,064
Philippines 47 6,000 10,311
Mexico 39 6,000 7,047
Iceland 33 5,800 4,597
New Zealand 20 3,650 4,055
Italy 13 3,270 5,520
Number of active volcanoes ＆ geothermal energy potential
(Muraoka et al., 2008)
Geothermal potential in Japan
but its power generation is merely No. 8 in the world…… Why?
Geothermal potential in this table is an estimated value from heat energy
stored at a depth of geological basement or shallower.
6

7. 0
2'000
4'000
6'000
8'000
10'000
12'000
14'000
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
InstalledCumulative
Capacity(MW)
Geothermal power capacity of the world (10MW)
Bertani (2010)
８００
６００
４００
２００
０
(10MW)
As an environmentally friendly energy, the world’s
geothermal power capacity is increasing
constantly.
But no new GPP in Japan this century.
WHY?
Geothermal power in Japan
7

8. All these strong points are common with nuclear power.
Therefore, under the federal policy pushing nuclear power, lows and regulations
which limits geothermal development have not been improved.
Low CO2 emission
Hydro (11), Geothermal (13), Nuclear (20), Wind (24), PV (38),
LNG (474, 599), Oil (738), Coal (943) g-CO2/kWh (CRIEPI, 2010)
Stable power & High capacity factor
Not depending on weather
High energy return (generated power/used energy)
Hydro (50), Geothermal（31）, Nuclear (24), Oil(21) , Coal (17)
Strong points of geothermal power
The reasons why there was no new
GPP in Japan
8

9. 3. Cost
Thermal and nuclear power have been considered more cost effective so
that GPP has not been attractive for electric power suppliers.
The reasons why there was no new
GPP in Japan
1. National Parks (no drillings, no researches)
80% of the geothermal energy in Japan exist inside national parks where no
exploitation has been allowed. Even scientific survey has been limited.
2. Hot springs
Some hot spring owners make strong campaign against geothermal
development in afraid of degradation of the springs (amount, quality).
How these things have been improved after the nuclear accident?
9

10. Recent movement especially
after 3.11….
1. National Parks
For geothermal power as a low CO2 emission energy source, the cabinet
decided to mitigate restrictions in national parks (June, 2010).
Ministry of Environment (MOE) finally made new rules in 2012.
Ordinance of the Ministry of the Environment
1) Special Protection zone and Class 1 Special zone (SP and S1)
The development is not admitted but the gravity or MT survey will be admitted,
which covers wide area. A deviated well drilling is not admitted.
2) Class 2 and 3 Special zones (S2 and S3)
The development is basically not admitted. Only deviated well drilling from
outside will be admitted if there is no effect on the surface. (November 2011)
The development is basically not admitted but it may be allowed if
environmental consideration is well treated. (March 2012)
10

11. 0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
>20 Yen/kWh
15 - 20 Yen/kWh
10 - 15 Yen/kWh
< 10 Yen/kWh
SP
S1 S2
OZ
S3 Ou
t
Geothermalresource(MW)
Higher protection
It has been…
Do not enter.
Never!
Surface
survey
may be
allowed
Special
Protection
zones
Class 1
Special
zones
Class 2
Special
zones
Class 3
Special
zones
Ordinary
Zones
Outside
parks
11

12. 0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
>20 Yen/kWh
15 - 20 Yen/kWh
10 - 15 Yen/kWh
< 10 Yen/kWh
SP
S1 S2
OZ
S3 Ou
t
Geothermalresource(MW)
Special
Protection
zones
Class 1
Special
zones
Class 2
Special
zones
Class 3
Special
zones
Ordinary
Zones
Outside
parks
Since March 2012
Surface
survey
may be
allowed
if enough environmental consideration is taken,
Small scale
development
may be allowed
Higher protection
12

13. 2. Hot springs
The only social problem that cannot be solved by laws and regulation. But...
Recent movement especially
after 3.11….
The Ministry of
Environment (MoE)
made a new guideline
on permission of
geothermal drilling in
March 2012, to be
referred by local
(prefecture)
government in order
to avoid delay in
giving permission. Procedure for decision making of permission
yes no
May geothermal development affect on shallow hot spring aquifer?
No information on
their relation
Model exists on
their relation
Monitoring data on
their relation
Judgment by basic
geo-scientific info.
Judgment based
on the Model
Judgment based
on Monitoring data
Existing info on relation btwn Geothermal Reservoir and hot spring
13

14. “Harmonious utilization of geothermal
energy with hot spring resources”
- to avoid conflicts between hot spring owners
and geothermal developers -
AIST has been conducting a 3-year research project since FY2010 sponsored by
MoE, consists of modeling, monitoring, and data integration for a whole subsurface
system including hot spring aquifer.
A final product, a
software which
automatically judges
possible interference of
geothermal development
on hot springs based on
natural state hot spring
data and monitoring data
will be used by hot
spring owners as well as
geothermal developers.
14

15. A Kalina cycle enables power generation by ~85 C water. GERD and AIST have
been conducting a demonstration project in Niigata sponsored by MoE.
Hot spring owners may have small scale binary plants for their own use.
Another way for “Harmonious utilization with hot springs”;
“Hot spring power plant” project
Low temperature binary system
Hot spring
source
To spa (bath)
To power line
Heat
exchanger
turbine
Cooling
tower
condencer
15

16. Recent movement especially
after 3.11….
3. Cost
The Energy Agency of METI supports domestic geothermal businesses by :
●Financial support
1. Drilling
• Government’s budget for geothermal drilling (~USD 15 million a
year) was to be abolished in FY2011. But after the big earthquake,
government decided to increase this budget to ~USD 90 million
from FY2012. It covers up to 50 % of the cost of exploration well
drillings.
2. Public Acceptance
• New budget for PA covers 100 % of PA activities by private sectors.
3. RD&D (EGS, etc.)
The above financial support by METI, which used to done through NEDO, will be
done through JOGMEC (Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation )
16

17. Recent movement especially
after 3.11….
3. Cost
The Energy Agency of METI supports domestic geothermal businesses by :
●Feed in Tarif (FIT)
FIT law for renewable energy was enacted and price is fixed in 2012.
1. Bigger geothermal power generation (15 MW or bigger)
• 27.3 JPY/kWh for 15 years
2. Smaller geothermal power generation (<15 MW)
• 42 JPY/kWh for 15 years.
The average geothermal power cost in Japan in the past is 20 JPY/kWh
and FIT may give enough incentive for geothermal developers.
The remaining economical obstacle, power transmission fee requested by
electric power company, may be reduced in few years by introduction of
free competition in transmission.
17

18. 4. New developments
Private sectors (Industries)
• “Japan Geothermal Association (JGA)” was established in 4 Dec.
2012 by 34 companies, including metal developers, oil and gas
developers, power supplier, trading companies, construction
companies, turbine makers, plant makers, geothermal consultants,
drillings companies, banks, and an environmental NPO. .
• Geothermal developers in JGA have development plans of around
10 domestic fields.
Recent movement especially
after 3.11….
18

19. 4. New developments
• Yuzawa-Chinetsu Co. Ltd. (J-Power, MMC and Mitsubishi Gas) has
begun environmental assessment in Wasabizawa geothermal field,
aiming at 42 MW GPP in 2020.
• TOHGEC group will start drilling an exploration will in Hachimantai,
aiming at 10 MW GPP.
• Kawasaki Heavy Industry, KOBELCO, IHI, etc., began production of
50-100 kW generator for “hot spring power plants” (small scale binary).
Several local groups (municipal or hotel owners) show interests in
such small GPP.
Recent movement especially
after 3.11….
19

20. Summary
• Renewable preference after the nuclear power plant
accident in March 2011 pushed Japanese government to
support geothermal development.
• Financial incentives for geothermal developments, ex.,
drilling support and FIT system are given by METI.
• New RD&D, such as EGS may begin under METI.
• MOE released constrains for national parks. MOE made
a guideline for geothermal drilling permission.
*Constraints on geothermal development in various aspects are
still under investigation to be released.
• Industries has also moved forward to accelerate
domestic geothermal developments.
20