The Promise of Sunshine - Light and Shadow of 150kW Solar Power Plant and Mega Solar in Iwaki, Fukushima - May 2004
In 2004, the 150kW solar power plant that started operation in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, attracted attention as a demonstration of renewable energy in a rural area. At the time, solar power was expensive and systems were still being developed, but efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions had begun before the Kyoto Protocol took effect. Iwaki City was seeking "local energy independence" through trial operations at public facilities and industrial parks, taking advantage of the sunshine conditions. Then, in 2020, Pacifico Energy's mega solar power plant (42.3 MW) went into operation, and the city became nationally known as a renewable energy hub.
However, rapid expansion also created new challenges. The local community has become concerned about soil erosion due to logging, destruction of the landscape, and development led by foreign capital. In October 2025, Iwaki City enacted an "Ordinance on the Establishment of Renewable Energy Facilities," making it mandatory to ensure landscape, safety, and community consensus. In addition, the disposal of solar panels is expected to begin in earnest in the late 2030s, and a recycling system is urgently needed. Renewable energy, once a beacon of hope, now stands between maturity and challenges. The sun of Iwaki continues to question a sustainable future.
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