[From May Issue 2014]
Kyoritsu Electric Corporation
The Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011 has affected our lives in numerous ways. In particular, power shortages caused by damage to the nuclear power station inconvenienced a huge number of people. By complying with power saving measures that continue to this day, many people have discovered the importance of electricity. As a result, the debate about how to generate a safe and stable supply of electricity has heated up.
In addition to standard hydraulic, thermal and nuclear power, recently more and more energy has been generated using methods that harness natural power like wind and sun power. In recent years, “wave power generation” has been a big topic of discussion. As Japan is surrounded by ocean, it’s the most suitable method of generating power. With this in mind, Kyoritsu Electric Corporation of Shizuoka Prefecture is conducting research and development in cooperation with Tokai University and other private companies.
Wave power generation technology is diverse and includes the overtopping device, the oscillating water column and floating devices. Kyoritsu Electric is working with overtopping devices. Executive Director NISHI Nobuyuki explains enthusiastically, “An oscillating water column turbine can’t generate any power under bad weather conditions. The downside of floating devices is that they don’t generate much power. The overtopping wave device is still in development, but I think we’ll be able to maintain a certain level of power regardless of weather conditions.”
Nishi and his team are developing the overtopping wave device; for this, piles drilled into the offshore seabed are fitted with equipment such as ramps, reservoirs, water discharge pipes and power generators. The method involves storing water that has surged over the ramp, when it descends it turns a propeller to generate power. “It’s particularly unique, in that compared to other methods of wave power, its effect on the environment is limited and it operates reliably,” says Nishi outlining the merits of the overtopping wave device.
Nishi says, “Our research indicates that one meter of coastline can generate enough electric power for ten households. Compared to sun and wind power, the cost per kilowatt is low.”
The lower cost isn’t the only advantage of overtopping wave power generation. Currents created by the revolution of the turbine propeller, dissolve oxygen into the seawater. Oxygen rich seawater promotes the growth of marine life. In other words, it’s known to have a positive effect on the fish farming and fishing industry.
It takes a tremendous amount of money, equipment and raw materials to generate electricity. However, since Japan is an island country surrounded by ocean, wave power is constantly available for almost all coastal regions. As Japan is a country that is poor in natural resources, wave power that harnesses the abundant raw energy of the ocean is seen as a way for Japan not to lose out to foreign competition.
Kyoritsu Electric Corporation
Text: ITO Koichi[2014年5月号掲載記事]
協立電機株式会社
2011年3月に発生した東日本大震災は、私たちの生活にさまざまな影響をもたらしました。特に、原子力発電所が被害を受けたために起きた電力不足は、多くの人に不自由な思いをさせました。現在も続く節電への協力を通じて、多くの人が電気の大切さを感じました。このため、電気を安全で安定的に作る取り組みについての論議が高まってきました。
水力や火力、原子力など、昔からある発電方式に加えて、最近は風力や太陽光など、自然の力を利用した発電量が増えています。近年は、波の力を使う「波力発電」が話題になっています。波力発電は周りを海に囲まれている日本には最もふさわしい発電方式です。こうした中、静岡県の協立電機株式会社は東海大学や民間企業などと一緒に研究開発を進めています。
波力発電は「越波」「振動水柱」「フロート」などに分かれます。協立電機が取り組んでいるのは越波型です。専務の西信之さんは「振動水柱型タービン式は天候が悪いときに発電できず、フロート型は発電力が低いのが弱みです。越波型はまだ実験段階ですが、天候に関係なく、一定の電力を確保することができるはずです」と期待を込めて話します。
西さん達が進めている越波型は海の沖合に杭を打ち、傾斜板や水槽、放流管、発電機などの装置を固定する形式です。この方法は、傾斜板を乗り越えて貯められた波が下に落ちるときの勢いでプロペラを回して発電します。「他の波力発電に比べ、環境に影響を与えにくく、安定的に動かせるのが大きな特徴です」と西さんは越波型の利点を説明します。
西さんは「私たちの調べでは、海岸線1メートルの長さで一般家庭約10世帯分の電力をまかなえます。1キロワットあたりで比べた発電コストは太陽光や風力よりも低く抑えることができます」と話します。
越波型波力発電が優れているのは、発電コストが安いということだけではありません。発電機に付いているプロペラが回るときに起きる水流は、海水に酸素を溶け込ませます。酸素を含んだ海水は海中にすむ魚介類や海底で暮らす生物の成長を助けるはたらきがあります。つまり、養殖や漁業にとっても良い効果をもたらすことがわかっています。
電気を作るためには、莫大な資金や設備や材料などが必要です。しかし、日本は周りを海に囲まれた島国なので、波力発電になくてはならない波は、沿岸部のほとんどの地域でいつでも手に入れることができます。海の豊かなエネルギーを利用した波力発電は、天然資源のとぼしい日本にとって、海外との競争にも負けない有力な方法として期待されています。
協立電機株式会社
文:伊藤公一
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