Each of us need to consider where our energy comes from, and how we use it.
What is the role of energy?
Energy is one of the most necessary things to supporting our daily life. Mobile phones, TVs, air conditioners, these are all things that need energy.
Energy consumption rate in Kagoshima
Kagoshima mainly relies on electricity(30.6%) and petroleum(58.3%) for energy. And you can see renewable energy (solar power, solar heat, wind biomass) is not popular. Solar power generation contributes only 0.1%. However, we must consider and change our energy sources to prevent climate change. Here we give you some information about solar power generation.
What is renewable energy?
Renewable energy can be explained as energy which can be used permanently. Kagoshima has an active volcano, Sakurajima. Thanks to Sakurajima , Kagoshima is a good place for geothermal power. Additionally, there is a long coast and many wind power plants in the countryside of Kagoshima.
The features of solar power generation
One advantage of solar power generation is using sunlight effectively. The energy source is sunlight, which can be easily collected with solar panels. The other advantage is solar panels are easy to install. Roofs and walls are convenient places to put solar panels.
Some efforts for solar power generation in Kagoshima city
Kagoshima city has a lot of positive actions for solar power generation. You can often see small solar panels in the city. Also, there are large solar panels on the roofs of some hospitals and schools. Kagoshima City Hall uses electricity which comes from renewable energy.
This is in front of Kagoshima City Hall.
Zero carbon city Kagoshima
Kagoshima city is running a project called ” Zero Carbon City Kagoshima “. Kagoshima city has responsible for reducing carbon emissions to virtually zero. Citizens and companies need to cooperate to achieve the goal. ” Zero carbon city Kagoshima ” a reality by 2050. Some efforts for solar power plants is related to this project.
Comparison between Kagoshima & Perth
・Average hours of sunshine a year
Kagoshima:：1971 hours annually. Kagoshima’s rank is 27th in Japan.
Perth:：3212 hours annually and an average of 9 hours per day. Perth has more sunshine than not only Kagoshima but also any other state in Australia.
・Usage rate or number
Kagoshima：12%, the number of solar panels is about 30000 (2009~2014).
WA(including Perth) : 7%, the number of solar panels is 172866 (2009-2014) .
Solar power generation is becoming popular in both Kagoshima and Perth now.
Some of Perth in Kagoshima!
In Kagoshima, you can find some things related to Perth, because of our sister-city relationship.
