Community Development Policy to Secure Local Energy Requirement and Global Environment with Application of Mini-Hydro Power Project at Hilly and Mountainous Areas in Japan

Abstract

"After serious disaster of TEPCOs Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, new energy policy of Japan tries to decrease the dependence on nuclear power. The national energy policy with a law has just come into force in 1st July 2012 that requires electricity companies to buy new energy sources at feasible tariff of 20-49 Yen/kWh from the small private producers in local grid. The new national energy and environment policy supports the drastic shift of energy source from nuclear to any other optional new clean energy source including the mini-hydropower. The aim of this study is to elaborate the new community development policy scenarios by evaluating the viability of mini-hydropower project at small community in hilly and mountainous areas including the case of Social Capital (SC) study on the Shiraito district at Fukuoka in Japan."