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<\/p>\nA decade after Japan\u2019s devastating nuclear meltdown, the governor of Fukushima hopes the prefecture can step out of the shadow of disaster and become a symbol for green energy, although some residents are sceptical.<\/p>\n
The March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami-ravaged northeast Japan and crippled the Dai-ichi nuclear plant. It also triggered widespread opposition to nuclear power, complicating energy policy for resource-poor Japan.<\/p>\n
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Helped by about 250 billion yen ($2.3 billion) in government support, Fukushima has become Japan\u2019s biggest commercial-scale solar power generator and home to one of the world\u2019s largest green hydrogen plants, the 10 megawatts (MW) Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field.<\/p>\n
\u201cFukushima needs to achieve 100% renewable power, as we will not rely on nuclear energy,\u201d Governor Masao Uchibori told Reuters on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The government and major corporations are pushing hydrogen. A Toshiba-developed hydrogen plant opened last year in Namie, a town evacuated after the meltdown, using an adjoining 20 megawatt (MW) solar farm to power the process.<\/p>\n
A new transmission line will eventually add 360 MW of wind power, putting Fukushima on track for 100% renewable energy by 2040, Uchibori said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy making Namie the town of hydrogen, we want to support the regional economy and create a new symbol,\u201d Uchibori said.<\/p>\n
Toyota Motor Corp\u2019s president visited last week and pledged new pilot projects. But some residents say they need support with everyday life, not green energy projects.<\/p>\n
\u201cNamie needs more basic infrastructure such as hospitals that are open for 24 hours and care homes for the elderly,\u201d said one 27-year-old man.<\/p>\n
He returned last year, but without his parents because hospitals aren\u2019t open on the weekends. He declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.<\/p>\n
Uchibori said the local government wants to restore infrastructure, develop new projects and attract residents.<\/p>\n
Tokuko Shiga, 73, a shopworker, said projects weren\u2019t providing enough local jobs. Even if there were jobs, many evacuees live elsewhere, she said.<\/p>\n
Many green projects are geared towards big companies and supplying Tokyo with power, just as the nuclear plant did, said Yauemon Sato, a Fukushima sake brewer who started a renewable power company.<\/p>\n
His company has built 6 MW of solar farms and plans more.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need a business model that helps the local community and promotes autonomy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
A decade after Japan\u2019s devastating nuclear meltdown, the governor of Fukushima hopes the prefecture can<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6258,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6256","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business"],"yoast_head":"\n