発表資料.pdf

Japan's agricultural, mountain, and fishing villages have high potential for renewable energy utilization due to abundant resources such as biomass, water, and land. The fixed-price purchase system, which started in July 2012, has improved the profitability of renewable energy power generation, creating new income opportunities for these villages.

The potential for renewable energy generation in these villages includes:
- Solar power: 85.4 billion kWh per year if all 125,000 hectares of abandoned farmland are equipped with solar panels
- Small-scale hydroelectric power: 890 million kWh per year
- Woody biomass power generation: 7 billion kWh per year if all 2 million cubic meters of unused thinned wood are utilized

The fixed-price purchase system guarantees a fixed price for renewable energy power generation for a certain period, with prices ranging from 22 to 40 yen per kWh, depending on the energy source.

However, most of the revenue from selling renewable energy goes to external companies, with only a small portion, such as land rental fees and fixed asset taxes, going to local communities. Therefore, it is essential to consider how to link the benefits of renewable energy to local revitalization, such as using revenue to promote local agriculture, forestry, and fisheries.