Renewable Energy as the Cornerstone of Fukushima's Recovery: What the Abukuma Wind Power Project Brings to the Local Community

First, please tell us about Fukushima Prefecture's goal to position itself as a "pioneer for renewable energy."

YoshidaIn 2012, Fukushima instituted a policy aimed at meeting 100% of the prefecture's energy needs through renewable energy by 2040. To aid recovery from the earthquake, this policy focuses on "region-led expansion of renewable energy" and "accumulating related industries."

What roles do Fukushima Electric Power and Fukushima Power Transmission play under this policy?

What impact has the Abukuma Wind Farm, which began operation thanks to the efforts of several companies, had on the local community?

YoshidaThe Abukuma Wind Farm and the industries that support it are creating employment and economic opportunities for the community.

HiranoIn terms of employment, Fukushima Fukko Furyoku LLC – the company that operates the wind farm, of which I am president – employs five of its six employees from the local community. The operation, maintenance and upkeep of the wind farm facilities has been outsourced to wind turbine manufacturer with approx. 20 technicians on site, who plans to employ locally and train them.Periodic inspections of the facilities and maintenance work on the 20-kilometer-long road – alongside related disaster prevention facilities built in the national forest in conjunction with power farm construction – are subcontracted to local companies. As a result, the market for operations and maintenance related to wind power is expected to grow to 7 billion yen across Fukushima, including the Abukuma area.

The selling of power from the wind farm is also designed to aid recovery, correct?

From a local perspective, what are your thoughts on this project's significance?

OnoI worked for the Fukushima prefectural government for many years, and after the disaster, I was assigned to the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department. There’s one scene that has stayed with me. Around 2015, I saw a family of wild boars strolling leisurely along National Route 114. Before the disaster, that road was always busy with cars. But after the nuclear accident, when evacuation orders were issued and people could no longer enter the area, the forests and rice fields quickly became overgrown – and there were wild boars roaming freely. I still vividly remember the shock of thinking, "Has this really become our reality?"

Until then, we had thought of recovery as a process of restoring those areas to what they once were – making forests usable again for forestry, returning rice fields to viable farmland. But through this project, I came to realize that there are other forms of recovery as well. We completed the wind farm in an area once designated as a difficult-to-return zone due to the nuclear accident – where there was no trace of human habitation. Now, people are gathering here again, and the site is full of energy and activity centered around the wind farm. As someone who has been involved in recovery administration, that gives me an overwhelming sense of fulfillment.

YoshidaAs a former prefectural official, I sometimes doubted whether the goals we were pursuing to promote regional reconstruction centered on renewable energy were realistic. But now the largest onshore wind farm in Japan is up and running. Seeing the dream we imagined become reality is deeply moving.

HiranoFor people in Tokyo, it may seem like recovery is complete, but that's far from true. Some people here were forced to evacuate their homes for at least three years; in some areas, people still cannot return. We need to ask ourselves what else we can do. Showing people outside Fukushima that recovery is still ongoing is part of our mission. We want people from across Japan and beyond to witness it firsthand.

OnoWith the wind farm now operational, there's a risk that local businesses, like restaurants, may lose income once the flow of workers stops. So, we appreciate initiatives from companies like Sumitomo Corporation to create observation decks, clear nearby trails and even allow their administrative facilities to be used as evacuation centers. With their support, we'd like to continue considering how we can increase visitor numbers and breathe new life into the area.

Now that operations have started, what are the future prospects for this project?

YoshidaNaturally, this project will continue contributing to recovery support. But we have also established a framework where electricity generated locally can be used directly in the area through corporate PPAs. Fukushima Prefecture aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. We believe that renewable energy can truly contribute to carbon neutrality – not just by generating the electricity, but by consuming it locally, too. Establishing this framework should become a major force in advancing the decarbonization of Fukushima. We will continue to collaborate toward creating a self-reliant community through local production and consumption of renewable energy.

OnoThe Abukuma area was once a thriving center of firewood and charcoal production, utilizing its abundant broadleaf forests. However, from the 1960s, during the energy transition, it became nationally renowned as a key production area for shiitake mushroom logs. Furthermore, the area made use of its low-lying land to raise calves. It was a quintessential sustainable community and a representation of Japan's original landscapes. We believe that launching a wind power project rooted in local production and consumption will help revive a compact, independent sustainable society in an "energy revolution for the Heisei and Reiwa eras."

HiranoAt Sumitomo Corporation, we aim to leverage the experience gained developing a wind power generation project of this scale, both domestically and abroad. We will continue to pursue opportunities to contribute to Fukushima's future and to develop energy projects that accelerate carbon neutrality efforts in harmony with the local community.