Green Japan making waves

Long before the idea of creating power from the motion of the oceans, the Japanese have had a fascination with waves and weather. Ever since the kamikazes (divine wind) saved them from Mongol invasions under the command of Kublai Khan in the 13th century, the Japanese have honored the sea and its power. In more recent times, the wood-block artists Hiroshige and Hakusai have brought this love of the sea to life in their artwork. Now, the Japanese are taking their love of the ocean to a new level.

Besides providing large amounts of fish to the population of Japan, the Japanese are now planning on having those same bodies of water that provide them with food, also supply them with power. Ocean Power Technologies have reached an agreement with Japan to build a sea-based power station that will obtain energy via wave riding buoys that convert the motion of the ocean into electricity.
Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) operates globally, and focuses on assisting first world countries with their renewable energy needs. In the case of the Japanese, OPT have teamed with Idemitsu Kosan, Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding and Japan Wind Development to help build the power station. OPT has already built a wave station near Portland, Victoria to demonstrate how much power can be created by the seas, in this case enough to power 7,000 homes.

The station to be built in Japan is likely to at first power 3,000 homes, and is successful more stations and buoys could be built to provide more power to Japan. This new energy project is in line with what new Japanese PM Yukio Hatoyama pledged, a 25% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. It’s hoped that this pledge will lower the amount of fossil fuels and other brown energy sources being used by the Japanese. While this is an important first step towards sea-energy, the Japanese still have to uncover a solution to their trash problem. Gaining energy from natural sources is an excellent option for Japan, as there are many places where there is no arable land to sustain living, these places can be the new home to energy producing technologies. However, there is still the problem of over-population on the islands of Japan, as well as a consumer based economy that relies on the buying of items that are soon to be thrown out. While the nation of Japan lays claim to one of the best recycling programs in the world, what doesn’t get recycled is incinerated and provides major Japanese cities a layer of bluish smog. While Japan may cut their greenhouse emissions, focusing on consuming less must also be of paramount importance.