poster advertising the symposium on renewable energy

Renewable energy, such as wind power, has recently attracted considerable attention as an energy source that helps combat global warming because it produces less CO2 emission than fossil fuels like oil. It also helps to increase the energy self-sufficiency rate of nations like Japan with scarce supplies of these natural resources. This symposium attracted a capacity audience of nearly 260 people which illustrated that there is a high level of interest in energy issues among the general public.

Professor Fumikazu Yoshida of Hokkaido University’s Graduate School of Economics and Business Administration started off the four morning lectures on Day 1 with his lecture entitled Future Prospects of Renewable Energy in Japan. He highlighted the direction of and strategy for a new environmentally-friendly energy infrastructure as well as the importance of cooperation with East Asian nations. Next, Professor Martin Jaenicke from Freie Universität Berlin illustrated the potential of renewable energy to replace fossil fuels and nuclear energy. He introduced policy measures taken in Germany under the theme Renewable energies: The Race Against Traditional Supply. Professor James Heintz of the University of Massachusetts focused on the initiatives in the U.S. to build a clean energy economy and their challenges under the theme Creating a Clean Energy Economy in the U.S.: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Professor Ma Zhong, Dean of the School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University reported on initiatives for energy conservation and a low-carbon future in the rapidly growing Chinese economy. The theme of his speech was Energy Saving, Emission Reduction, and Low Carbon Development in the Context of China’s Rapid Economic Growth.

The afternoon session began with a speech by Yoichiro Suzuki, Director-General for the Natural Resources, Energy and Environment Department of the Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI Hokkaido). Under the theme Present Situation and Future Tasks of Renewable Energies, he shed light on projects implemented in Hokkaido. After the speech, Professor Hajime Araki from the Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere took to the podium and illustrated the feasibility of using crop residue, livestock manure, and food waste as fuels under the theme Local Biomass as a Renewable Energy Source. The first session was concluded with a panel discussion by the speakers.

On Day 2, Toru Suzuki, Director-General of nonprofit Hokkaido Green Fund introduced the utilization of citizen-funded wind turbines and their challenges under the theme Present Situation and Future Tasks of Citizens’ Windmills. After the speech, Naoto Kawaguchi from Central Leasing System Co., Ltd. presented, Large-scale Snow Air Conditioning at New Chitose Airport, a project that uses stored snow to produce cool energy at the airport. Next, Takashi Kasuga, manager of the Regional Promotion Section of the Shimokawa Town Office, highlighted the town’s efforts to achieve sustainable forest management, Leveraging Local Resources – Shimokawa, an Environmental Model Town. He was followed by a presentation by Nobuko Yabe, a postdoctoral fellow at Hokkaido University’s Faculty of Environmental Earth Science. Under the theme LCA regarding the Introduction of Biogas Plants in Hokkaido, she reported on the effects of biogas plant (BGP) use on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, energy production, and cost analysis results. She also presented the results of calculation of levels of electricity prices by subprefecture that would enable the introduction of BGPs. The last presenter was Tatsuo Suwa, a postdoctoral fellow from Hokkaido University Public Policy School (HOPS). He presented the results of analyzing the feasibility of BGPs for dairy farmers under a scheme to buy power at fixed prices, and future tasks under the theme Economic Study regarding the Dissemination of Biogas Plants in Hokkaido. During the second session, each presentation was followed by a lively Q&A session between the speaker and the audience.

panel discussion by the keynote speakers

a full auditorium