Communicating the “Now” of Renewable Energy to Children Who Will Lead the FutureSOCIAL
Biomass power plants operated by erex Group not only supply clean electric power, but also play a role in communicating the importance of renewable energy to children, who will lead the future, as part of efforts to co-exist with local communities. Nakagusuku Biomass Power Plant in Okinawa Prefecture, which started commercial operation in July 2021, invited 58 fifth-grade students from Minamihara Elementary School in Uruma City, Okinawa, for its first plant tour.
Highly Curious About a Huge Structure They Had Never Seen Before
The distance between Minamihara Elementary School and Nakagusuku Biomass Power Plant is only about 2 km. The children say they were watching the construction of the power plant from their classroom windows.
”We didn't know what was being built, so we were all imagining this and that," said the children who visited the plant.
Uruma City in Okinawa Prefecture is a city that preserves a rich natural environment with the beautiful sea and green trees in the glare, and there are few high-rise buildings in the area. Therefore, they seemed to be highly curious about the true nature of the huge structure that is more than 60 meters high.
During the plant tour, children learned about the mechanism of power generation and the natural environment, and deepened their understanding of "renewable energy" and "biomass power generation. They were surprised by their new experience, such as learning about the functions and roles of the boilers and steam turbines of Nakagusuku Biomass Power Plant and touching PKS (palm kernel shells), one of the biomass fuels, thought about them, and actively asked questions to the staff and others. Looking down from the top floor to the ground, they were frankly happy to see a new power plant in their community. Many of the participants smiled and said, "I will tell my family what I learned when I get home!”
Observing biomass fuel burning in a boiler
Children thinking about co-existence with the beautiful sea
Passing on the Potential of Renewable Energy to the Next Generation
erex Group contributes to the realization of a sustainable society through its business activities. We aim to break away from the conventional form of society that consumes fossil fuels, and to achieve an even-better co-existence with the global environment through renewable energy. To achieve this goal, we believe it is necessary to properly pass on these knowledge and technologies to the younger generation.
The plant tour of Nakagusuku Biomass Power Plant provided an opportunity for the children to encounter new knowledge about the "potential of renewable energy" and to think together about the importance of global environmental conservation. We are very pleased that the children showed great understanding of the biomass power plant as a neighbor in the community and of the fact that it delivers clean electric power to the community. It is an initiative that embodies one of erex Group’s philosophies, "co-creation”.
We conduct such tours at our biomass power plants throughout Japan as appropriate.
Our mission is not limited to providing a stable supply of electric power, but to be a part of people's lives. erex Group plans to promote this kind of active interaction with local communities in the businesses that we will develop in the future. We will continue to take on the challenge of realizing a de-carbonized society by working hand in hand with local residents.