Community / Project
※ Company/organization names and affiliations in the article are as of the time of publication
Mr. Kazuyoshi Omote
Japan Renewable Energy Corporation
Project manager for development
The Nakakyushu Onitayama Wind Farm, one of the first projects that JRE investigated and began developing, was completed in September 2016. It stands on the ridge of Onitayama mountain between Gokase town and Morotsuka village in the northern region of Miyazaki Prefecture. Consisting of eight wind turbines, each capable of producing 2,000 kilowatts of electricity for a total output of 16,000 kilowatts, the plant is the first large-scale wind station to be developed in Miyazaki Prefecture. It has the highest altitude (1,000–1,200 meters) among all wind farms in the Kyushu region and offers a view of Mount Aso’s five peaks in the far distance.
Opinions received during the environmental assessment process and views expressed at meetings with local residents were duly taken into account when planning the Nakakyushu Onitayama Wind Farm. Our goal was to develop a plant that is friendly to local communities as well as to the natural environment. Efforts were made to increase local residents’ understanding of wind farms. Before starting construction work, we led a group of interested residents on a tour of an existing wind power station operated by another company. Once construction began at the Onitayama site, we offered resident tours of the construction site, one to see a turbine foundation being built and another to observe the lifting of a turbine. Over 80 residents joined the second tour despite extremely harsh weather conditions. The scheduled lifting work had to be cancelled due to strong winds and fog, but engineers braved the storm to explain the process to the residents, who in turn listened avidly while withstanding the wind and rain. It was a moment when both sides were moved by the dedication of the other.
We encountered many obstacles along the way to project completion, but we were able to overcome each obstacle thanks to the guidance and support of all the people involved. One of our first issues was the leasing of land for the plant site. A power plant requires a vast expanse of land, which usually means obtaining agreement from many land owners. Some plots have multiple owners, who may live in all parts of Japan. There were times when we could not obtain agreement from land owners in distant areas. Local residents helped us by calling them to introduce JRE and explain the project. Such support was invaluable for a not-very-well-known company like us and allowed us to obtain agreement from all land owners, local and otherwise.
Climatic conditions were very tough as well, owing to the site’s high altitude (1,000–1,200 meters). In the winter, which lasts from December to the following February, construction crews had to contend with frozen ground, snowfall and other conditions that delayed or stopped work. However, the contractor was able to complete construction on schedule without any accidents or disasters. One factor for this success was the local community’s agreement to stop using the forest road that they normally use for daily travel, banning all local traffic from the road during the construction period and thereby allowing construction work to proceed smoothly.
Transport was another challenge. We had to bring all the turbine parts overland for 85 kilometers from Nobeoka-shinko port. There were many difficult spots along the route, especially the multi-curved Roppo Kaido forest road. The freight company made full use of their long experience and technical expertise to devise ingenious solutions to ensure safe delivery, such as using a special truck capable of transporting a 39-meter turbine blade in an upright position. In these and other ways, the people involved provided guidance and support in diverse areas to ensure the successful completion of construction work and enable the Nakakyushu Onitayama Wind Farm to begin operations.
JRE hopes to grow together with the local community. Toward this end, we have endeavored to do business with local firms and employ local residents. At present, four JRE employees living in Miyazaki Prefecture are involved in on-site operations.
The Nakakyushu Onitayama Wind Farm harnesses the never-ending natural energy of mountain winds to supply sufficient electricity to power 11,300 households annually, as it simultaneously serves as a regional landmark with its wind turbines standing along the Onitayama mountain ridge. We hope it will continue to provide clean energy for many years to come, contributing to industrial growth and helping to ensure stability in people’s lives as a well-loved partner of the local community. We are deeply grateful to the local community for welcoming the Nakakyushu Onitayama Wind Farm with a warm heart.
Mr. Toshifumi Teramoto
Chief Priest, Josenji Temple
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Mr. Toshifumi Teramoto
Chief Priest, Josenji Temple
Gokase Town, Nishi-usuki County, Miyazaki Prefecture
This temple has a history of 400 years, and throughout its existence it has maintained close ties with local residents, who have provided support through the ages.
When I first heard from JRE of their plan to build a wind power station on Onitayama, I was somewhat dubious that the plan would actually be carried out. This was because I had already heard similar plans from a couple of other companies, plans that were subsequently scrapped. I asked JRE to conduct a sufficient level of resident briefings, as I believed it was essential for the project to obtain the understanding of the local community.
JRE presented their plans to local residents with great care, and I think they succeeded in building a relationship of trust with them and gaining their understanding. On the other hand, I do feel a bit regretful that they could not do more business with local companies. I think they did well in the area of safety management, such as repairing roads damaged by construction activity.
Now that the plant has been completed, I am highly impressed—the more so since I was dubious at first—that Japanese firms have the technical expertise to undertake such large-scale construction projects, as well as the fact that the enormous turbines could be transported through such narrow roads. It is a wonderful thing that JRE holds site tours and participates in community events and school workshops, allowing them to talk about renewable energy with youths and older residents. Renewable energy should be promoted, and I hope JRE will become a major company and expand its renewable energy operations in Japan and around the globe to the extent that nuclear power generation will no longer be needed.
Mr. Hitoshi Fujioka
Shrine Representative, Iiboshi Shrine
Morotsuka Village, Higashiusuki-gun, Miyazaki Prefecture
Initially I was surprised to learn that there was a plan to build a wind power station on Onitayama. But soon I realized the site, where winds are so strong that no trees could grow, made sense and hoped that a plant would in fact be built.
JRE gave thorough briefings on their project, even including experts on legal paperwork and environmental matters. People from Kajima Corporation came to tell us about the construction process, explaining even technical matters in detail. I am happy to say they acted in an impeccable manner, such as responding to requests immediately during construction and repairing and repaving road sections that had been damaged by the transport of construction materials. However, it would have been even more satisfactory if they could have used companies in Morotsuka.
When I viewed the plant from afar after its completion, I thought the white turbines against a blue sky made quite an attractive sight. Another wonderful thing is that they harmonize well with the mosaic forest composed of interlocking cedar forests and plantations. The power station is aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly, so I think it is like killing two birds with one stone. Since there are no wind power plants nearby and local residents and children are highly interested in them, I am glad that JRE welcomes tours of the site and participates in community events and school workshops, and I hope they will continue to do so.
The plant is the first large-scale wind farm in Miyazaki Prefecture. I hope JRE will be hugely successful and do their best to spread renewable energy, biomass power generation included, as much as possible throughout Japan and obtain the understanding of people all over the country. I wish them well in their endeavors and pray for their success.
Mr. Takeshi Kawasaki
Kajima Corporation
Main person in charge of project construction
When taking charge of the construction of this project, my first thought was that there were many challenges to overcome, considering that the site was on top of a mountain and the construction schedule was very tight. When excavating soil from the site, for example, we sometimes had to make over 100 trips a day to the dumping site. We took pains to minimize the impact of construction activity on the local community. Thanks to the cooperation of local residents, we were able to manage and carry out construction work more or less according to schedule.
I believe people responded favorably to the way JRE kept the community on board, allowing the company to earn their trust. There were some natural disasters during construction, such as the Kumamoto earthquake and the Mt. Aso eruption, but fortunately their impact on the project was minimal.
I believe it is important to promote renewable energy, and I hope to bring our expertise to such projects in the future. We need to increase the number of energy options, so I hope JRE will build their operations aggressively and greatly advance the renewable energy field.
