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| The Sugawara Binary Cycle Power Station, which generates geothermal power in the town of Kokonoe, Oita Prefecture, on Aug. 5 (Junichiro Nagasaki) |
Because it is volcanically active, the island of Kyushu is ideally suited to geothermal power generation. That prompted Kyushu Electric Power Co. to announce an ambitious plan on Aug. 5 to double its geothermal output by 2030.
Even though geothermal power accounts for a miniscule share of overall electricity demand, the regional utility said it plans to gradually add more power stations in years to come. One bonus is that geothermal generation offers a more stable electricity supply source compared with solar or wind power.
Kyushu Electric held a completion ceremony on Aug. 5 at the Sugawara Binary Cycle Power Station, a geothermal power generation facility in the town of Kokonoe in Oita Prefecture. With an output of 5 MW, it will produce approximately 30 million kilowatt hours a year, or enough to power 8,000 typical homes.