Major, Jon.(2014, September 15). Japan: ‘solar islands’ replace nuclear power,
Environmental News Network: Energy, Retrieved September 18, 2014, from
http://www.enn.com/business/article/47833
Following the disaster at Hiroshima the Japanese public has lost much of its trust in nuclear power. Once seen as the clean energy future the risks the nuclear power plants pose in an earthquake heavy region have become very clear. The response to this has been a surge in interest in alternative clean energy solutions. Unfortunately the Island nation of Japan has little space to put large solar fields unlike America with its large lightly populated territory. To circumvent this problem Two large Japanese corporations have worked together to design and launch the first of thirty “solar islands”. The floating barges produce electricity via solar panels and this energy is transmitted by sunken cable to the mainland. The best part of the idea is that it takes up space that was not already being used.
This is one of those ideas that makes you sit back and realize that the crazy sci-fi future might not be too far off. If we start making barges that produce their own electricity then the time of floating cities and towns might not be that far off. That aside this technology is just one more promising story of crazy new innovation that has taken hold of the energy industry of late. While this might not be the most practical solution for America this idea and others like it are part of this promising new wave of innovation that is going to define this coming era.
I realized that science and technology is really crazy while reading your blog. It’s crazy in a good way for the fact that they have produced “solar islands” and I agree with your opinion that having these floating barges might not be that far off. I also think that this will be a great way of saving more space for other essential buildings (like hospitals, schools, etc.) INTERESTING!
I think that because of the risks of earthquakes that its creating a beneficial consequence an I like how the Japanese are inventing new and safer ways for testing energy.
I find this article very interesting because Japan wants to have solar energy but doesn’t have space to put giant solar panels on their island. They have found alternative ways that will provide them with solar energy and that is having islands encompassing Japan. The only con to this would be that a island full with solar panels that has cost perhaps a few million dollars has been hit by hurricane or some sort of natural disaster. What renewable resource do you think would better for Japan?
yes, and this is not the craziest thing i found on Japan. They have a working plan to launch solar panels into space that would then beam the energy in concentrated form to transportable solar panels on the ground that could be used in emergency relief efforts to bring power to hospitals with poor or damaged infrastructure.