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Solar Frontier and the town of Hiraizumi have agreed to build a 13 MW CIS utility-scale solar power plant. The new solar PV plant will cover 30 hectares of land designated for commercial use and sell power to Tohoku Electric Power Company.
Town of Hiraizumi, located in Iwate Prefecture in north-eastern Japan, achieved UNESCO world heritage status in June 2011 for its historical temples, gardens and archaeological sites. The new utility-scale plant will be located in Kagonezawa District of Hiraizumi. Solar Frontier will operate and manage the power plant – a service provided by the company as part of its total system solutions offering. The electricity generated at the facility will be sold to Tohoku Electric Power Company and is expected to equal the amount of electricity consumed annually by almost all of Hiraizumi’s 2,630 households.
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The project, initiated by the Hiraizumi administration, has received the support of local residents. “Through Hiraizumi’s local residents, we are proving that historical sites and renewable, clean energy can exist side by side,” said Masayoshi Sugawara, Mayor of Hiraizumi, who is looking to promote sustainable development of urban areas in Japan and overseas. Part of the income generated by the power plant will go toward preserving the world heritage site.
For Solar Frontier, this is an opportunity to contribute to the local economy by working with local companies. Together with Solar Frontier’s upcoming Tohoku Plant, this project demonstrates the company’s strengthened presence in the Tohoku region of Japan. Through this project, Solar Frontier and Hiraizumi are also promoting the development of renewable energy in support of historical sites and urban development.