29 December 2005GreenBiz.com
Kakegawa City, together with the Japan Sewage Works Agency, has been recognized by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport for its highly resource-efficient sewage system. The city's sewage project earned top honors at the 14th annual Water Treatment System Awards in the category of effective use of sewage systems. The city reduced environmental impacts and maintenance costs for its sewage plant by introducing a wind power generation system. When planning improvements to the Osuga Purification Plant, Kakegawa City and the Japan Sewage Works Agency decided to introduce a wind power generation system at the plant, which faces the Sea of Enshu, an area where strong winds blow throughout the year. This project was selected after a wind synopsis analysis and environmental impact assessment indicated that the facility met the criteria for introduction of wind power generation, and became the first such project to be subsidized by the ministry. As a result of the project, most of the electricity consumed in the facility can be supplied by wind power, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 96% compared to the conventional commercially supplied electricity. Besides the benefits of combating global warming, the wind power generation facility is expected to save energy while significantly reducing operating costs. Kakegawa City established its own "Global Warming Action Plan" in March 2001, and this project is one example of its various efforts to prevent global warming.
