Sunlight in the Forest - The Challenge of Oyashirafuchi, Sotonami Green Park, Aomori Prefecture (June 1998)

Sunlight in the Forest - The Challenge of Oyashirafuchi, Sotonami Green Park, Aomori Prefecture (June 1998)

In the late 1990s, Japan was reeling from the aftermath of the bursting of the bubble economy, and was under pressure to respond internationally to environmental problems such as global warming and acid rain. In the midst of such a period, the Aomori Prefectural Government was seeking to promote energy conservation and regional development. In the midst of these times, the introduction of private power generation using solar cells at Green Park Oyashirazu, a forest park in Tonoha, Aomori Prefecture, was symbolic.

The park is located in a remote area, and because of the huge cost of bringing in electricity from the outside, nighttime lighting had long been impossible, causing great inconvenience to park users. This is where the solar battery-based private power generation system came into play. This system, in which daytime sunlight is stored in storage batteries and lighting is provided at night, does not emit exhaust gas or generate noise, and is in harmony with the natural environment. The system provided convenience to users and at the same time served as a place to practice environmental education, allowing visitors to experience firsthand the "compatibility of the environment and comfort.

In terms of technology, a combination of photovoltaic modules and a storage battery system was introduced, with polycrystalline silicon solar panels, which were beginning to spread at the time, being the mainstream. Furthermore, inverter technology was used for power conversion and supplied to lighting equipment as a stable AC power source. Based on the national government's "Outline for the Introduction of New Energy," the project was also supported by a subsidy system, and became a pioneering example of renewable energy use in the region.

The case of Green Park Oyashirazu, as an advanced practice of integrating tourism resources and environmental technology, has shown one path for the diffusion of renewable energy in rural areas. The solar lights that lit up the campground far from the urban area were not just an improvement in convenience for the local community, but also a symbol of hope for a sustainable future.