Effects of the Installation of Exhaust Hot Water Heat Pumps at Lake Toya Hot Springs - February 2009

Effects of the Installation of Exhaust Hot Water Heat Pumps at Lake Toya Hot Springs - February 2009

Toya Lake Onsen in Hokkaido began trial operation of a heat pump (HP) system that uses waste hot water in February 2008, and full operation began in March of the same year. The capital investment amounted to approximately 200 million yen, making this a large-scale reconstruction of the heat supply infrastructure at the spa resort. Prior to the introduction of the system, heating by heavy oil boilers was the mainstream method, and fuel costs and environmental impact were major issues.

Since full-scale operation, the use of heavy oil boilers has been completely discontinued, and heating is now entirely provided by heat pumps that use waste hot water as their heat source. Behind the introduction of the system were soaring oil prices and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and a community-wide sustainable energy policy was called for.

The economic benefits of the project are significant, with annual cost savings estimated to reach approximately 59 million yen, even at the relatively low price of 56 yen/liter for fuel oil. At peak crude oil prices, the cost benefits would have been even greater. Heat pumps are less susceptible to outside temperatures and can provide a stable supply of heat throughout the year, leading to the establishment of a reliable supply system for the tourism industry.

The success of this system is also an excellent example of local production for local consumption of energy in hot spring resorts, and is expected to have a ripple effect on hot spring facilities nationwide. From the perspective of utilizing exhaust heat and renewable energy, the project is also highly regarded for the results achieved through collaboration among the local government, private sector, and the tourism industry.

This initiative is also in response to the growing environmental awareness in the region triggered by the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit held in July 2008. Since then, the introduction of facilities utilizing natural energy sources such as snow and ice heat and hot spring heat has been rapidly increasing in Hokkaido, and the successful case of Lake Toya Onsen is a symbolic example of this trend.

Related Information and Reference Materials

- Hokkaido Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, "Cool Energy Hokkaido" (snow, ice, and exhaust heat use results, 2008-)
- Hokkaido Department of Environment and Living, "Collection of Examples of Renewable Energy Introduction in Local Communities" (in Japanese)
- Hokkaido Shimbun article archive: "Lake Toya Onsen: Reducing Fuel Costs by Introducing Heat Pumps," 2008-2009
- Environmental Business Online: "Evaluation of Installation Effectiveness and Economic Efficiency of Heat Pumps Using Hot Spring Exhaust Heat
- Japan Society of Air-Conditioning and Sanitary Engineers paper: "Application of Heat Pumps in Hot Spring Areas Using Low Temperature Exhaust Heat".