Can solar power generation be a viable business in a region with heavy snowfall? To answer this question, Showa Shell Sekiyu and Niigata Prefecture constructed the “Niigata Snow Country Mega-Solar Power Plant” at the petroleum product import terminal in Higashi Ward, Niigata City. The facility, which began operations on August 31, 2010, features 12,528 solar panels manufactured by the company’s group. With a generating capacity of approximately 1,000 kilowatts, the estimated annual power generation is about 1 million kilowatt-hours—enough to power approximately 300 households. The plan was to sell the entire output to Tohoku Electric Power. As a snow-management measure, the panels were installed 1 meter above the ground, with two different tilt angles: 20 degrees and 30 degrees. By comparing snow accumulation patterns with power generation levels, the company sought to identify the optimal installation method for snowy regions. The prefecture aimed to use this project to prom ote the adoption of renewable energy and foster related industries. This facility, located on a site that had previously handled petroleum, installed solar panels and attempted to generate electricity under the winter sky.
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