21 wind and solar power plants: In Fukushima, green electricity replaces nuclear power

Specialists are still busy dismantling the ruins of the Fukushima nuclear reactor. The earthquake at the time, followed by a tsunami, also showed sustainably that no new nuclear power plant should be built here. The Fukushima Prefecture must continue to produce electricity in the future. For this reason, former agricultural areas that can no longer be managed due to radioactive radiation are now to be rededicated: a total of 21 wind and solar power plants with a capacity of 600 MW will be built on them. The long-term goal of the local authorities is also to fully supply the prefecture with electricity from sustainable sources - i.e. wind, sun, biomass and hydropower - by 2040.
The green electricity should flow to Tokyo
The power plants now planned are expected to be completed in 2024 and cost a total of $ 2.75 billion. A corresponding credit line has already been provided by Mizuho Bank and other investors. Another $ 266 million is also expected to be spent on expanding the pipeline network. Among other things, an approximately 80 km long power line is planned. Ultimately, the aim is to ensure that the green electricity produced in Fukushima can also be used in the Japanese capital Tokyo. The expansion costs in this area are comparatively low, however, because some of the existing infrastructure can be used. The damaged nuclear power also supplied electricity to the Tokyo region.

Japan wants to become less dependent on expensive energy imports
The expansion of renewable energies offers Japan the opportunity to become independent of energy imports. Because on the islands of the country there are almost no natural deposits of fossil fuels. Oil and gas therefore have to be bought expensive abroad. This is one of the reasons why the country has long pushed ahead with the expansion of nuclear power. However, Japan is also extremely densely populated, making it difficult to find the space needed for solar and wind power plants. That is why, for example, solar power plants have already been built on golf courses that are no longer used and on reservoirs. Against this background, it is quite clever to now use the land that can no longer be used for agriculture in Fukushima to generate green electricity.