In Iida City, the Ordinance for Sustainable City Development through the Introduction of Renewable Energy (Local Environmental Rights Ordinance) took effect in April 2013. Based on this ordinance, civil organizations and private enterprises have collaborated to create projects, of which seven are recognized by the city mayor as regional community renewable energy projects.

One such project is the Iida Yamamoto “Ohisama” Open Space Maintenance Project. For this project, Oji Materia Co., Ltd. and Cenergy Co. are to implement a large-scale solar power generation project in Yamamoto District. With the surrounding land, the Yamamoto Community Improvement Committee, a local organization, is to collaborate with these two companies and Ohisama Shinpo Energy Co., Ltd. to maintain an open space for disaster refuge, environmental education and local activities.

This project relies on the collaboration between different entities. For example, the project involves Oji Materia and Cenergy lending land without charge via the city government to the Yamamoto Community Improvement Committee. In addition, the surplus costs to level the land is provided, and a fraction of the revenue from Ohisama Shinpo Energy’s scheme to sell all the produced electricity is allotted to cover the maintenance and administrative expenses of the open space. As a result, this project is being established by many different forms of ties and cooperation.

The public activities of these entities were highly evaluated, and came to be recognized. Afterwards, some tens of people including Yamamoto District inhabitants, the fire brigade, and teachers from the nearby kindergarten worked to plant grass, and today, it is possible to see young children playing on the sloped grass.

As such, a sustainable future can be built based on the idea of energy self-sufficiency. Through the multi-faceted implementation of renewable energy projects in the region with the cooperation of regional inhabitants and various other entities, it is possible to optimize the use of renewable energy sources found in the region to address the local energy demand. By doing so, new industries can emerge, stimulating the economy. Ultimately, through such initiatives, the region can be revitalized while taking into account the principles of environmental sustainability.