The afternoon session of REvision2025, held on March 5, 2025, themed "Renewable Energy is the Key to Regional Revitalization," brought together experts from government, industry, and academia to explore how renewable energy initiatives can drive regional revitalization across Japan. Moderated by journalist Hiroko Kuniya, the panel featured insightful presentations and discussions that highlighted innovative approaches to renewable energy development and the challenges of implementation at the local level.
Renewable Energy as a Regional Revitalization Tool
At the outset of the session, experts highlighted a critical challenge facing renewable energy development in Japan: increasingly, renewable energy facilities are being viewed as nuisances by local residents, with some municipalities implementing regulations to limit their development. This growing resistance stems from projects that have failed to properly engage with communities or provide clear local benefits.
"For renewable energy to truly benefit regions, we must prioritize local economic circulation," noted one of the panelists during the opening remarks. The experts emphasized that overcoming this negative perception requires a fundamental shift toward "community-benefiting" renewable energy models (地域裨益型再エネ) where projects are designed to return tangible economic and social benefits to the areas where they are located.
The discussion highlighted a fundamental shift in perspective: rather than viewing renewable energy merely as an environmental solution, the panelists advocated for seeing it as a comprehensive regional development strategy. This approach requires careful consideration of how energy projects can be structured to maximize local economic benefits while addressing community concerns.
Speakers agreed that the traditional top-down approach to energy infrastructure development often fails to gain community support. Instead, they proposed frameworks where local stakeholders are engaged from the earliest planning stages and where economic returns are visibly reinvested in community priorities.
Ishikari City: A Model for Renewable Energy Integration
Jun Kato, Manager of the Promoting Partnership Division at Ishikari City, presented a compelling case study on how municipalities can leverage renewable energy to attract businesses and stimulate economic growth. Ishikari City has created an "RE zone" (Renewable energy 100% zone), an appealing environment for data centers seeking sustainable power sources.
"There is a growing sentiment among companies that utilizing renewable energy can improve corporate value," Kato explained during the Q&A session. He emphasized the importance of creating an environment that encourages private business involvement while ensuring that the benefits of renewable energy projects circulate within the local economy.
Kato also highlighted the city's efforts to promote regional digital transformation through the clustering of data centers powered by renewable energy. This strategy has not only attracted new businesses but has also working for developing applications in primary industries, demonstrating how renewable energy can support broader regional development goals.
Breakthrough Innovations in Geothermal Power Generation
One of the most noteworthy presentations came from Shoji Numata, CEO of Machiokoshi Energy, who shared groundbreaking approaches to geothermal power generation. Numata detailed how technological innovations is dramatically reducing development timelines from the conventional 15 years to 5 years.
"With the introduction of a packaged solution, I expect it will be feasible to recover costs in approximately 7 to 8 years," Numata stated when discussing the economic viability of geothermal projects.
While acknowledging that reaching Japan's 1% target for geothermal energy by 2030 remains challenging under current circumstances, Numata's innovations offer promising pathways to accelerate deployment and improve economic returns.
Government Support and Policy Frameworks
Keiko Omori, Director-General for Regional Decarbonization Policy at the Ministry of the Environment, outlined ambitious government initiatives aiming at regional revitalization through simultaneously solving regional decarbonization and local issues.
"Regional decarbonization initiatives tailored to local characteristics not only help address rising energy prices but also contribute to solving various regional challenges such as industrial development utilizing untapped resources, strengthening disaster prevention capabilities through securing energy during emergencies, and improving regional energy balance (economic balance), thereby supporting regional revitalization."
The ministry acknowledged the challenges in establishing promotion areas and indicated they are exploring ways to enhance incentives, with the goal of creating a framework that benefits both local governments and businesses.
Challenges and Solutions for Community Integration
Professor Toru Morotomi from Kyoto University's Graduate School of Economics provided academic insights on the economic and social dimensions of renewable energy projects. "The challenge in renewable energy implementation isn't just about the technology—it's about creating systems that ensure economic benefits flow back to local communities," Professor Morotomi emphasized. "We need to shift our focus from merely installing renewable energy facilities to building comprehensive frameworks that address regional economic circulation."
The panel collectively emphasized several key challenges:
- Building local consensus: All speakers stressed that community buy-in is essential for successful renewable energy implementation.
- Economic benefit distribution: Ensuring that renewable energy projects return economic benefits to local communities was identified as a critical factor for sustainability.
- Land use considerations: The panel discussed the potential of solar sharing on agricultural land, highlighting the importance of establishing relationships with agricultural committees while ensuring agricultural productivity is maintained or enhanced.
- Human resource development: The shortage of specialized personnel in rural areas was recognized as a significant barrier, with training and support programs being implemented to address this gap.
The Role of Local Energy Companies
The discussion focused on creating sustainable business models centered around local energy companies. Speakers highlighted the importance of workforce development and the accumulation of expertise within communities rather than relying solely on external contractors or consultants.
These local energy enterprises are increasingly seen as key actors in ensuring that the economic benefits of renewable energy projects remain within regions, contributing to long-term economic revitalization rather than temporary boosts.
A Holistic Approach to Energy and Development
The afternoon session of REvision2025 demonstrated that renewable energy is far more than just an environmental initiative—it represents a multifaceted approach to addressing regional economic challenges, digital transformation, and community sustainability.
The cases shared by speakers like Kato and Numata, combined with the policy frameworks outlined by government representatives, suggest that Japan is developing a more integrated approach to renewable energy development that places local communities at the center of the transition.
As municipalities like Ishikari City continue to demonstrate, when renewable energy projects are designed with regional revitalization in mind, they can serve as powerful catalysts for sustainable economic development and local community.
