The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) of Japan decided to include in its fiscal 2012 budget allocation of 1.2 billion yen for projects that support the deployment of renewable energies in Japan's rural areas. The break down funding into two areas: 0.5 billion yen for a project to launch renewable energy supply models and 0.7 billion yen for a project aimed at exploiting renewable energy resources, such as micro-scale hydropower. MAFF will support communities' efforts to utilize the renewable energy sources that are so abundant to the nation's countryside, such as unused farmland, water, wind, geothermal, and biomass.

Specifically, MAFF will suport the following types of projects: construction of renewable energy (electricity) deployment models farmers, forestry workers and fishermen are involved; research, design, consultation and coordination of small-scale hydropower generation facilities, verification tests for the practical introduction of low-cost, small-scale hydropower plants.

This article is from our friends at Japan for Sustainability

Image provided by watashinomori.jp Users' Photo Gallery. (c)2012