Development of low-CO2-emission vehicles and utilization of local renewable energy for the vitalization of rural areas in Japan

• Main Authors: Kenji Amagai, Takayuki Takarada, Masato Funatsu, Kikuo Nezu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2014-03-01
• Series: IATSS Research
• Subjects: Energy security; Renewable energy; Low-CO2-emission vehicle; Micro-EV; Low-speed E-bus; Vitalization of rural areas
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0386111213000277

Most of Japan's energy supply depends on imports from foreign countries, making the independence ratio of energy in Japan very low. The Fukushima nuclear power plant accident triggered by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami led to a mass shutdown of all the nuclear plants in Japan, a stoppage that is still in effect. In this paper, we review the energy supply situation and some social problems faced by rural areas in Japan. Given that lifestyles in rural Japan are reliant on automobiles, there is significant demand for the establishment of a sustainable mobility society. Furthermore, Japan is now entering an aging society ahead of other countries. In order to enhance the vitalization of rural areas and accelerate the establishment of sustainable society, our project developed low-CO2-emission vehicles (i.e., a single-driver EV [micro-EV] and a low-speed E-bus) for elderly people and tourists through the cooperation of regional industries, a local university, and a city office. This paper also reports some trial test results on renewable energy utilization as the driving energy supply for these low-emission vehicles.